


Sides of the Moon

by Kuno



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Chaptered, Multi, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-26
Updated: 2019-06-22
Packaged: 2019-07-17 18:57:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 83,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16101764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kuno/pseuds/Kuno
Summary: Runaan and his team of assassins discovers that Rayla has defied him. Again. But when they find her, she’s bleeding out in the woods with precious cargo under her arm and face to face with the princes of Katolis running away from their own castle. They find that, upon this meeting, the die has already been cast.





	1. A Meeting of Enemies

Blindly. 

She was running blindly. Her legs moved faster than her mind could even as every inch of her body from the neck down felt like it as on fire. The temples of her skull pounded and the world began to go sideways every few steps. 

Rayla couldn’t catch her breath. Her chest was going to implode at this speed, with this weight on her, but-- 

But she _had_ to keep moving. This weight she was carrying could change _everything_. 

She couldn’t jump through the trees anymore. No, she have didn’t the strength and would probably just end up killing herself faster. Rayla ran on foot, away from the castle that probably was scrambling to find her. They would find her. Eventually. _He_ would find her. 

The high mage’s smile nearly made her vomit and she almost fell to her knees right then. But she kept going. She had _fought_ her way out because this weight she was carrying was just that important. There was no way she could fail. She refused to fail. 

The egg of The Dragon Prince was heavy in her arms, but she kept going. If she could just get to Runaan and the others, they would take care of it. Die getting it back to Xadia if they had to. She had disobeyed Runaan’s direct orders again and he was going to be furious, but hopefully… hopefully he would understand, this time. At least, after seeing the egg. 

That’s if she made it. She could feel her body getting weaker and she was moving at half the speed. Was she nearly there? She had to be. 

She had to be… 

Her lungs burned with the effort to breathe. The world was hanging to her limbs, dragging her further and further to the ground. Was there a faint ringing sound? She swore she did. The sky and the trees blurred together. 

She stumbled to the ground and the egg rolled away from her. No. No, not yet. 

_Not yet_ . 

Rayla practically dragged herself toward the egg, half on her knees. It felt warm against her side as she used it to keep herself upright. She looked at her legs and her arms, leggings and flesh torn open where she’d been bitten. Was the burning pain keeping her awake or was it draining her? She couldn’t tell. 

The world began slipping away. If she could rest just for a moment. 

Just for a moment… 

-:-:-:- 

“ _Callum_ ,” The younger prince panted. “Callum, I can’t-- breathe. Can we-- slow down?” 

Callum turned back and grabbed onto his brother’s hand, pulling him forward. “Soon, Ez, soon. We need to keep running just for a little longer, okay? Don’t stop.” 

Even if Callum’s legs were tiring out. They’d been running ever since they left the castle. They hadn’t _dared_ to stop. Not after… not after what Viren-- 

He pushed the thought from his mind. Running. Only focus on running. If Viren caught them, that was it. And he would make that look like an accident, too. That, Callum was sure of. Bait made a distressed croak from somewhere in Ez’s backpack, but Callum didn’t quesiton it. 

If he stopped, he was going to cry. If they stopped, Ezran was going to cry. They didn’t have breathe to waste crying yet. 

“ _Callum--”_

“Not _yet_ , Ez. Keep going. Just keep going.” 

“No, Callum--” 

The impact of Ezran running into his back nearly had Callum impale himself on the sword that levelled itself with his belly. Callum hadn’t seen it, hadn’t seen a whole body lying on the ground. He followed the arm of whoever owned the sword and his heart jumped into his throat for a moment. An elf. White hair. Purple eyes and… she was hurt? 

He looked down at her, her skin had been ripped open from what looked like dog bites, blood pooling at the worst wounds. It seemed like even holding that sword was too much. Under her arm-- 

“How did you find that?” Callum glanced down at Ez, his younger brother’s blue eyes wide. “That was under Lord Viren’s room…” 

“Ez…” Callum warned. 

The elven girl ignored him, her face was contorted with the effort to look tough. She said viciously, “ _Stay. Back.”_

The blade was slicked and drying in blood from blade to hilt. Had she? She was the one who had been in the castle then. The one everybody had been looking for-- 

“It’s okay,” Ezran moved from around Callum, but Callum clutched Ezran’s arm tight. Ezran ignored him. “I’m not going to hurt you.” 

“I said _stay back!”_ The elven girl’s eyes were wild, but she flinched at the effort it took to wave her sword in their direction. “Don’t get any closer, humans. I’ll cut you from nose to navel if you take another step.” 

Callum frowned. “How? Look at you. You can’t even move. You don’t even look like you can really see.” 

“Oh, trust me. I’ll manage,” the elf grinned at him. He believed her. 

“Let us help you.” 

“You move. You die,” she said coldly. 

Callum stiffened. Maybe if he was by himself, but… not with Ezran here. He wouldn’t risk it. “Ez… let’s go.” 

“No, Callum. We can’t,” Ezran wrenched his arm out from Callum’s grip. “She’s hurt.” 

“And she wants to hurt _us_. We can’t help her if she doesn’t _want_ our help. And she--” Callum’s eyes widened when he realized what was under her arm. “Is that… is that what I _think_ it is...?” 

“Go away,” the elven girl growled. “You’re not worthy enough to know.” 

“It’s the egg of The Dragon Prince, isn’t it?” Ezran said calmly. He didn’t move, but he didn’t look away from her. “I found it earlier. In a secret room under Lord Viren’s room.” 

Callum looked at his brother. Ezran had just… _found_ the egg of The Dragon Prince. Just like that. When had he found this? “Why didn’t you say anything?” 

“I…” Ezran hunched his shoulders and Bait, now in his arms, croaked defensively. “I didn’t know if it really was. And… I thought I’d get in trouble if he knew I was in there… you know how scary Lord Viren can be when he’s mad… I was going to tell, Dad, but...” 

Callum put a hand on Ezran’s shoulder. He didn’t have to say it. Looking back at the elven girl, Callum kept her gaze for a long moment. Her arm was shaking with the effort of keeping that sword up. He bit his lip. “Please, let us help you. You’re hurt really badly. We can _at least_ find you someone who can heal you.” 

“With what? Your _dark magic?_ ” she snarled. “I would end up dead anyway.” 

“Please, I’m not your enemy.” 

“You’re a human,” she spat, her voice cracking and pain welling up in her eyes from the effort. “Of course you are.” 

Reluctantly, Callum took a step forward. 

He didn’t get to take another as a flurry of bodies descended upon them. 

-:-:-:- 

It was Callisto who had discovered that Rayla was missing. 

Runaan nearly cursed the air blue when he had gotten word of her defiance. Again. She was supposed to stay out of the way where their jobs wouldn’t be _harder_ after she had let the human guard go. 

They had debated on whether or not to go look for her. Skor had argued against it. They couldn’t waste their energy looking for her. Not when the guards could still be patrolling the area and night was only in a few hours. He had a point. Ram was reluctant to agree. It was Andromeda who pointed out that if Rayla were captured, the guards might be able to pinpoint their location. Then, they would know that the moon moth from earlier had not been wrong. 

Their entire mission would be severely compromised. 

But Runaan was essentially decided before any of them had given their input. He would have gone alone, even, to find her. They couldn’t simply abandon Rayla to the humans for a variety of reasons. Reasons practical, ethical and personal. However, if they got out of this alive, it would be a long time before he considered taking her along on another mission. She needed more training, apparently. And discipline. Mentally and emotionally. 

Then, it happened. As they readied themselves to leave, their arm bindings were falling off. One from each of them turned red and drifted to the ground. They all froze, stunned at this new revelation. Had Rayla done it? They didn’t know which one of the targets had died, but one of their two targets had just passed. But was it the prince or the king? They needed to know. 

This had changed things. Drastically. Who and how was now part of their mission. 

Toward the castle was the only direction Runaan needed to mind. That was the only way she would have gone. Through the trees, they flew, time of the essence. Sundown was not too long from now and, at some point, if they did not find Rayla then they _would_ need to leave her. Runaan ran the option through his mind, but... he did not particularly like it. At all. What he _did_ know was that the punishment for her disobedience, no-- insubordination -- was going to have to be severe. With luck, they would allow him to be the one to handle that in Xadia. As her commander and having known her the longest, it was only natural. 

Then again, they could deem those many years he had looked after her a weakness. He didn’t want to think of what another might do in the wake of such insolence on such an important mission. 

Runaan considered it his fault though. He had thought that she was ready. He had thought that her talent would carry on to her discipline. He was wrong. She had shown all the potential and he _still_ believed in that talent and potential, but it needed to be nurtured more. Honed. When they went home, he told himself. 

_When_ they went home. 

And it was as that thought died that her voice pricked at his ear. He had been listening to that voice for most of her entire life and nearly half of his own. He knew what it sounded like. And… he knew what it sounded like when something was wrong. 

They moved faster, quieter. 

There, in a clearing between the trees, was Rayla. Half her body lay limp on the ground, staining the grass with her blood. Her other half rested on something to keep herself upright and she was leveling her blade at someone. Runaan followed the sword and frowned. 

Humans. 

Runaan shared a look with Callisto. Then, with the rest of his team. 

The human boy who had taken a step toward Rayla stumbled back when they all leapt from the trees. There was no need to have weapons at the ready. Humans or not, these were simply children. They had enough time to tie them up and put them somewhere if need be. If not, then… he would do what had to be done. Regrettably. He avoided situations like these like a plague, but it wouldn’t have been the first time mistakes cost lives that weren’t meant to be lost. He had a dreading feeling that it wouldn’t be the last. 

“R-Runaan…” Rayla could barely manage to say his name without wheezing. She sounded relieved and he looked her over. His face nearly betrayed his shock. 

What had _happened_ to her? She looked as if she escaped a mauling. Then, she moved, fighting with the effort to say something. Skor, his long hair covering one side of his face trembled upon reaching for whatever it was that Rayla was protecting. 

“What is it?” Callisto asked. His short, white hair somehow probably made him look all the more menacing to the humans. They seem to backup a little more after he spoke. 

“This… can’t be...” Skor’s voice failed him. 

Runaan turned to see what they were talking about and his eyes widened. Rayla moved as best she could to reveal what was under her. It was a beautiful, kaleidoscoped, glowing egg that he had only ever seen in one place. 

Andromeda knelt before the egg. “Is that…?” 

“The egg of The Dragon Prince.” Runaan shook his head. “That’s impossible.” 

He looked at Rayla. She was trying to give him that cheeky grin, desperate as it was for relief from the pain she was in. Runaan stopped himself from reaching out for her halfway since he didn’t know if she would outright pass out from her injuries under the pressure. She didn’t even look like she could focus on him. “Ask,” she breathed, hoarse and wheezing. “ _Them_.” 

Her gaze shifted to the humans still standing in fear before them. Runaan and Skor stood up, approaching the human boys as Callisto crouched down next to Rayla. “Where did she get this?” Runaan demanded. “Tell me what you know.” 

The boys looked at each other. Runaan waited for their answer. 

The eldest who stepped forward. “Listen, just… don’t hurt him.” He stepped in front of the younger boy. “We didn’t even know it was around until a little while ago. Our high mage was keeping it a secret from everyone. We swear.” 

Runaan frowned. “If it as such a secret then what do two human children want with it?” 

“We don’t want it at all. Listen, you can have it. We were just trying to help _her_.” The elder boy pointed at Rayla. 

Ram’s red eyes flashed. He bristled. “Why would a _human_ ever help an elven girl?” 

The elder boy narrowed his eyes. “Because she’s hurt! What was I supposed to do? Leave her there?” 

“We’re not inclined to believe you simply wanted to help her out of the kindness of your own hearts,” said Andromeda, stepping beside Runaan. 

The younger boy now stepped from around the elder. “It’s true,” he said. “We don’t want anything. We were just trying to leave and we ran into her. That’s all. We don’t want the egg” 

Leaving? 

Runaan looked up at the castle. Then, down at the boys. Two boys running in woods all alone… 

Runaan shared a look with Andromeda. 

“And where did you say you were running to, again?” she asked them. 

The elder boy stammered. “N-nowhere. We were just trying to get to the next town before dark.” 

“The next town in this direction is half a day’s journey. At least it is, through the woods,” Runaan stepped closer to them. The elder boy pushed the younger behind him again. “Who are you, _really?_ ” 

The younger boy moved from behind the elder. “If I tell you who I am, will you take care of her and leave us alone? Or at least let one of us go?” 

The elder boy clutched down on the younger’s shoulder, trying to pull him back. 

“We will take care of her, regardless,” Runaan said. “But it will be easier to resolve this situation if we know who you are.” 

The younger boy held his toad in his arms and looked up at Runaan, meeting his eyes. “I’m Prince Ezran.” 

Runaan had to commend the boy for his forthrightness. He stepped toward them again, reaching for his bow. “I know.” 

The elder boy placed himself between Runaan and Prince Ezran. “Callum, it’s okay. Just--” said Prince Ezran. 

“Ez, just go. Run. I’ll hold them off,” The boy named Callum didn’t so much as budge when Runaan stood in front of him. “You’ll have to go through me.” 

The bravery of these princes was notable. For humans so young, they faced death like Moonshadow elves. He paused. “Your father is dead.” 

The princes’ faces faltered. Prince Callum pursed his lips. “Yes… he… King Harrow was killed by the same man who had that egg.” 

Callisto frowned from where he was next to Rayla. “Your high mage?” 

“My… King Harrow found out about the egg after your friend stole it. He and Lord Viren had an argument in the king’s chambers and…” Prince Callum looked away. “He made it look like it wasn't. And he’s never liked me, so I _knew_ he was going to do the same to us next. He’s blaming her for the killing since they knew you were coming. She made enough noise that they’ll believe him. I took my brother and ran as fast as I could. That’s why we’re out here.” 

So, Rayla hadn’t killed the king. It had been the king’s own chief mage. He looked back at her. At her sword. And, yet, her blade was beginning to crust with what he knew this time to be blood. He turned back to the princes. 

Runaan shook his head. Humans. They couldn’t even trust each other. 

“Runaan.” 

Runaan turned to Andromeda. She gestured for him to come with her. After making sure Skor and Ram were watching the princes, he let her take him off to the side. “This changes things.” 

Runaan kept his voice low. “He’s our target. They’re humans, Andromeda.” 

“Human _children_ ,” she said. “And we now know the truth of The Dragon Prince. We have the egg. There is no need for justice against the young prince. These are the heirs to Katolis and the nephews to the great General Amaya. He is worth more to us alive than dead.” 

“I can’t simply undo this. We _bound_ ourselves Andromeda.” 

“The king is dead, Runaan. We _have_ the egg of The Dragon Prince. You said it yourself. Life is precious. We don’t _need_ to take this one, anymore.” 

Runaan turned to look at the princes. Prince Ezran was looking right at him. The boy said, “I’ll go with you. I’ll cooperate--” 

“ _We_ ,” Prince Callum put his hands on his brother’s shoulders and they gave each other a look of reassurance. “We will go with you. If you keep us alive, if you don’t hurt us, we’ll go with you to return the egg to The Dragon Queen.” 

Runaan considered those words. Andromeda’s voice as in his ear. “Peace can be had, Runaan. I imagine that’s why Rayla risked her life to get out of there with it.” 

“In return,” Prince Callum started. Runaan raised his brows. “You help us get to safety. Lord Viren will no doubt be coming after us. You give us that protection and we’ll cooperate completely.” 

Skor shook his head. “We can’t. If the prince lives, we all lose our hands.” 

Andromeda snapped, “Is that not worth it for Xadia? We _have_ the egg. The egg we all thought had been destroyed. Do you realize what kind of change this could bring?” 

“We’ll be _slowed down_ , Andromeda,” Skor argued. “Runaan, you know we don’t have time for this.” 

“The Dragon Queen can unbind us,” said Andromeda. “Dragons have powerful magic. If we can get the egg to her then she most likely will release us from our bindings.” 

Ram stood next to Skor. “Wait a minute. Are we sure about that? Are we sure she can do that?” 

“Losing my hand is worth getting The Dragon Prince back to his mother.” 

Skor replied, “If we even _make_ it with all this extra weight--" 

“Enough. Runaan, make a decision.” Callisto’s voice cut clear between them. That tone made Runaan turn toward him. Where Rayla was limp in his arms. “We need to get back to camp. I need to treat Rayla immediately. Before infection starts setting in and she loses too much blood.” 

Runaan turned to the princes and regarded them. Finally, Prince Callum said, “Lord Viren killed our father. His king. A man he called his friend, once. At least, let us have a chance to bring him to justice.” 

For another moment, Runaan said nothing. Then, he broke his silence, “You will be compliant. You will be quiet. And if you become a liability, you will be dealt with. Is that understood?” 

The princes shared gazes. They looked back at him and nodded. 

“Very well. Come with us.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This an AU that's been wracking my brain ever since I first watched The Dragon Prince. I keep rewatching Moonrise, so, this is a fic I started to explore more of the elfsquad that we'll probably never get to meet in canon and to explore things if it had gone down slightly differently.
> 
> Please consider commenting if you liked it or have something to say. It really keeps me going and motivated! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	2. When Death Reflects Life

The elf named Callisto carried Rayla into a tent. 

While the other elves didn’t seem to have any intention of hovering near the tent, the tension was… there. Their leader, Runaan, seemed to go meditate on a rock. With Ezran more than ready to bed down for at least a bit, Callum elected to go through the items he’d swiped from Lord Viren’s secret room. 

He had nabbed a variety of things: a book, a bunch of knick knacks he just blindly grabbed, a few stones that looked a bit suspect and a jar of some kind of ointment. On the way out, he also managed to grab the primal stone that Claudia had left in her father’s office. He didn’t know what he would do with it, but he didn’t need Lord Viren or Claudia to have it when they realized that Callum and Ezran were gone. 

It all was a blur, really. Not exactly a point in time when he was thinking the clearest that he had ever reasoned. Half of these things he probably wouldn’t use, but it was better than having no supplies. He regretted not grabbing anything to eat. One look in Ezran’s bag, however, and he relaxed a little bit. Just a little. At least Ezran had grabbed a handful of jelly tarts. 

After all, what did elves eat? 

Callum kept the primal stone tucked away in his bag. The last thing they needed was for the elves to feel threatened. He continued to sift through the contents of the bag, examining his collection. Something scraped against his fingers, cutting across the soft pads. He winced as they welled with blood. Grabbing the ointment, he opened it and spread a little bit of the contents over his skin. It burned a little more than it should have, but the wound closed before his eyes. 

Callum blinked. Well, that was useful. 

-:-:-:- 

Runaan meditated on the slab of rock. He tried, at least. 

He hadn’t bothered to go into the tent where Callisto was treating Rayla. No, Callisto would be better off without Runaan hovering over him working. Combat, yes, Runaan excelled at, but treating critical wounds were in Callisto’s realm. It was one reason Runaan had elected him as a linchpin part of the team. 

Still, Runaan felt as if he should be in there. Would Rayla respond to the sound of his voice? He recalled a time when a mighty fever had swept through their home in Xadia. Thankfully, the healing mages were able to call her from the brink, but they credited her ability to keep from slipping beyond that point to how she clung to his voice. 

But Rayla had been a child then. She could pull through this, now. With Callisto’s help. 

He wasn’t worried about anything beyond her fate tonight, but the consequences of today didn’t sit well with him. She had disobeyed his direct orders. Not once, but twice. Naturally, something had to be done about that. 

It haunted him. 

“You should look at these.” Andromeda stood to his left. Runaan looked up at the swords she displayed before him. Rayla’s swords were dry with blood. The blades, the handles... it had not come from just a single human. 

“We don’t know if she killed any of them.” 

Andromeda’s voice was soft. “You saw the state of her, Runaan. Do you really believe that?” 

“It doesn’t matter what I believe, right now.” 

“Rayla, above any of us, knows the importance of getting the egg back to The Dragon Queen. You _know_ she would have done _anything_ to get it out of the humans’ hands.” 

Runaan sighed through his nose. “I know.” 

Giving her own life was a small sacrifice to Rayla if it meant correcting the dishonor her parents had inflicted. But would Rayla kill a human? He thought she would have. He thought he had taught her better than that. 

Now, he questioned his judgement in that matter. 

“Are you still considering her punishment?” 

Runaan met Andromeda’s gaze, his face flinching with the regret in his heart. “You know I have to.” 

Andromeda shook her head. “She had redeemed herself today. At least, somewhat. Xadia will regard her as a hero for what she’s done. You _know_ this, Runaan. Look at where she’s at. Hasn’t she been punished enough?” 

“If I don’t punish her then they will at home. It’s not entirely my decision.” 

She got on one knee. “Plea with them.” 

“I plead with them once and look what happened.” 

“Yes.” She said. “And we have the egg. You plead with them once and, now, The Dragon Prince is with us after what we thought was its destruction.” 

“She _defied_ me, Andromeda. I can’t simply overlook that! She nearly cost the entire mission and could have killed us all with her stunt! Do you believe that I _want_ to consider this?” 

“It doesn’t matter what I believe,” Andromeda replied. Runaan broke eye contact with her. “She doesn’t deserve to be punished. Not with the severity you have in mind. And you know it.” 

The curtain to Rayla’s tent opened. Callisto’s head slipped through the opening. He gestured for Runaan to come inside. In the tent, the surroundings were were the color of lavender ashed and Rayla looked pale in comparison to all of it. Callisto’s tools lay around her, her bloody clothes discarded in a corner and a blanket over her up to her chest. Runaan could see her fighting for breath even in her near unconscious state. He could _hear_ it. 

Her wheezing was wet. As if her body couldn’t keep up with the havoc that had been wrecked on it. Across from Runaan, Callisto told him quietly, “Be with her. Talk to her while I go outside for a moment.” 

Runaan nodded. He didn’t question it. 

Callisto left and Runaan knelt beside her. “Rayla.” 

Slowly Rayla turned her head toward him. Her eyes shuttered open and closed. 

“ _Runa… Ru...”_ she tried weakly to say his name, but she winced and her chest rose and fell in several, slow deep passings. The wheezing sound was more evident than ever. 

“Don’t try to talk,” he said to her softly. “Save your strength for later. You will pull through this.” 

He prayed this was the one time she listened to him. 

Her hand, bloody and pale, inched toward him. Her wrists… he saw the dark scars around them. He took her by the hand and squeezed it gently. It was so cold. 

She didn’t squeeze back. 

-:-:-:- 

Outside, Callisto could feel everyone’s eyes on him, but he ignored them all. 

There had to be something out here that could help him. Something. _Anything_. 

Damn these human lands. In Xadia, the very nature around them would be useful for healing, but here there was no such magic. No such help within reach that might be able to save Rayla’s life. 

As Callisto muttered to himself, Ram approached him. “What’s happened?” 

Callisto was still looking around. 

Ram grabbed him by his arm. “Callisto.” 

Callisto looked into that dark face and pursed his lips. It was enough of a message. Ram let go of his arm and turned his attention toward the tent. He opened his mouth, then closed it. 

“Is there nothing that can be done?” Andromeda asked. 

Callisto scratched the back of his head. Tiredly, he replied, “I don’t know. This is different.” 

Runaan walked out of the tent and toward them, his eyes filled with the emotion that he tried to keep from his face. “What is it that you need to help her?” 

“I don’t know...I need something… something more…” Callisto muttered out loud. 

Out of the corner of his eye, Callisto could see the elder prince standing off to the side. Callisto looked at him. Prince Callum’s brows were knitted together. “It’s bad, isn’t it?” 

Skor crossed his arms. “What do you think, human?” 

Skor’s comment didn’t seem to deter the prince. Prince Callum pulled something from out of his bag and extended it to Callisto. A jar. A small one. “I, uh… I don’t know if it’ll help, but I found this ointment in some of the stuff I took from Lord Viren’s secret room. I put it on my cut a few minutes ago and it healed it way faster than it would have on it’s own. It might be magic. If you need it, it’s all yours.” 

Callisto blinked at the prince. He cautiously took the jar from the boy, opened and gave it a whiff. It smelled medicated. Familiar, even. Perhaps there was an essence of magic in it that he had come across in Xadia. Callisto closed the jar just as Skor put a hand over it. 

“We _can’t_ ,” Skor looked Callisto dead in the eye. 

Skor, damn him, sometimes. Callisto hissed, “Skor, what _else_ would you like me to do?’ 

“It could be magic. _Dark, human magic_. You don’t know what kind of dirty trick this could be--” 

Prince Callum put up his hands in defense. “No, I swear! It’s not a trick! I _found_ it. I don’t even know what it _is_ , really. But I swear it healed me. I wouldn’t lie about this in this situation.” 

Ram grabbed Skor’s shoulder. “He’s right, Skor. Listen, why would he lie surrounded by elves tha could kill him in a second flat?” 

Skor gritted his teeth and looked at Callisto. “You cannot trust this human.” 

“That’s enough, Skor.” Runaan said firmly and took a step toward them. “Callisto’s judgment is better than the rest of us when it comes to healing properties.” 

“Runaan, you know humans are liars. How can we be sure this won’t kill her and turn her into some creature of dark magic?” Callisto rolled his eyes. Oh, for alls sakes. "Callisto--” 

Callisto wrenched his hand out of Skor’s. 

“ _We have no choice!”_ Callisto snapped. He sighed and looked at Runaan. “Rayla is dying.” 

They all went quiet. Even if Runaan had clearly seen that from being in the tent with her, a pain still seized his chest. 

Callisto looked at them each as he explained, “Her wounds aren’t closing. Nothing I’m doing is working. These are different. Inflicted by dark magic, I suspect. If she doesn’t die of blood loss she’s going die of infection. This is all I’ve got.” He faced Runaan. “Give me the authority to use this. Give it to me and I will do everything within my power to save her life.” 

Runaan met Callisto’s gaze. “Do whatever it takes.” 

Callisto gripped the jar tighter and, with a curt nod, disappeared into the tent. 

-:-:-:- 

The hour passed. 

Callum felt as if he were on trial despite the help he intended to provide. If something _did_ go wrong because of that ointment, then, he would surely be to blame. It was bad enough the elven man, Skor, shot Callum a dirty look every chance he got, but the real scare was their leader. 

Runaan went back to his meditating, but Callum wondered if he was actually meditating. Sometimes, Callum caught him with his eyes open just staring into the space before him. Callum had seen that kind of look many times on King-- on his stepfather’s face many a time when matters of Katolis required the king’s hand. 

A man between a rock and a hard place. 

Callisto finally emerged the tent. All eyes were on him, but he only walked over to Callum and regarded him for a moment. 

He tossed the jar into Callum’s hand. ““Allow me to study that later?” 

Callum blinked. “Uh-uh, yeah. Yes, of course. Is she…?” 

Callisto crossed his arms. “She’s going to be fine… thank you.” 

Ram popped up next to Callisto first. “Wait, so she’s going to live?” 

Callisto nodded and turned to face the rest of the elves. “Yes, she’s going to live. She needs rest and food when she gets up, but, otherwise, she’ll recover.” There was a tangible wave of relief through everyone. Runaan stood. “Now, for the next problem. When do we need to leave?” 

Runaan answered his question with one his own. “When can she move?” 

“When can we help her move, you mean? Callisto snorted. “She won’t be moving for a couple days, but we can probably start travel tomorrow night. Give her tonight and tomorrow to rest and we should be able to be on our way.” 

“A whole night and day,” Ram winced. “That’s a long time with the princes in tow. No doubt they’ll be looking for them. And us.” 

“Then, we’re going to need round the clock scouting rotations,” Runaan said. “Ram you do the first scouting. Skor, you will back him up on watch. Andromeda and I will stay up. Callisto, rest. You’ve done enough for now.” 

Callisto nodded, rubbing his eyes and made to retreat to his tent, but turned back briefly. “She’s asleep, but you can go see her now.” 

Runaan was already on his way. 

So, she as going to make it. Good. That was good. After all of that, Callum wondered if he could even sleep, but he bedded down next to Ezran and Bait and didn’t even feel himself slip away. 

-:-:-:- 

When Runaan took her hand again, it was warmer. Not as warm as would have made him comfortable, but it was better than those icy limp fingers from earlier. The cold had never bothered him until that moment. 

He peered into her face and saw something more relaxed. Not a languish to the world, but the faintest eagerness just to sleep without pain or peril. Then again, perhaps he was imagining all that. Perhaps it was his own relief that he was reading in her face. 

After so many years, Runaan found it easy to discern Rayla’s facial expressions. She was somewhat bad at hiding them anyhow. But he hated the fact that he now knew what she looked like on the brink of death. Death and pain beyond what her senses could handle. It was more unsettling when he considered how easily she usually bounced back from nearly anything. 

He glanced down at her wrists at her sides. Those scars. He had not bothered to ask about those unusual wounds on her wrists that resembled her other wounds in how there was a burnt quality to them, but they were… different in nature. 

When she woke and was able to, he would have to ask her what she experienced in the castle. It was still his duty to make sure that nothing was going to become a problem from those experiences. Even Skor wasn’t too outrageous to question that. 

Dark magic. Callisto suspected dark magic had been inflicted upon her. He needed to know _what kind_ and could it still hurt them now. 

When she got up. When she felt a bit better. 

He would also need to question who. Prince Callum had mentioned their high mage, this Lord Viren who had apparently stolen the egg of The Dragon Prince. It would not be a great stretch to believe he had something to do with this. Some naive part of himself had always wanted to protect Rayla from the horrors of dark magic. Runaan had seen terrible things. Nasty things. 

Things that should not have been, but humans had found dark magic and, with it, the most unnatural things anybody would ever witness because of it. Dark magic was… invasive. Pervasive. He had once felt it’s tendrils on him in a fight. Thankfully, that match ended with him the victor. 

And throwing up in a river. 

But that had been years ago. He was more ready now. He questioned if he prepared Rayla enough… 

The whole thing sent a shudder through him that he was glad she wasn’t awake to see. 

For now, he squeezed her hand again and didn’t mind it when she didn’t squeeze back. He felt a finger twitch into his palm. 

-:-:-:- 

When Runaan returned to the campfire, he sat down next to Andromeda. She watched him sit as his shoulders sagged just a little. Only a little while none of the others were around to see. 

“How does she look?” Andromeda asked. Perhaps it wasn’t the brightest question about someone who had been on death’s door, but it was an honest one. 

“Tired,” Runaan whispered. “But she’s not in as much pain.” 

“Is she sleeping?” 

“With some peace.” 

Andromeda kept her voice low. “Good. You always knew she was going to make it.” 

Runaan frowned. “Did I? When I was in there I had never seen her so close to death. We’re taught to accept death so that we will not fear it, but what about someone else’s?” 

Andromeda had no direct answer for that. It was little secret that Rayla had raised Rayla in place of her parents. But in Andromeda’s case, she had never seen Runaan favor someone so much in his heart. There were few who he let that close to him. “I know it’s different to watch her go through these things. Don’t be afraid. You know who you raised.” 

Runaan pauses. “I think she was ready. I think, if death had come for her today, she was ready.” Andromeda nearly reached out for him. “But I wasn’t ready for how cold her death would feel like.” 

It’s different for certain people. We don’t fear death--” 

“But there’s a rule for every exception? Is that what you were going to say?” He raised a brow and glanced at her sideways. He snorted when she smiled faintly at him. “Perhaps you have a point.” 

“Perhaps. I have those every now and again,” she agreed. “You should rest. We need you sharp for tomorrow.” 

Runaan shook his head. “Not right now. You go. Sleep will do me more harm than good, I suspect.” 

She didn’t bother asking him what he meant. They all had their fair share of terrors after a mission gone wrong. She squeezed his shoulder as she got up and retreated to her tent, but not before glancing over at the sleeping princes and peaking in on a Rayla that was dead to the world. But the wounds that were visible seemed much better, healing over with new, pink skin. Andromeda would help her into extra clothes in the morning.  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I liked writing this chapter. A lot of time to give a glimpse of the elfsquad and reflect on Rayla and Runaan’s past a bit.
> 
> Please consider commenting if you liked it or have something to say. Keeps me motivated and lets me know people are interested! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	3. The Youngest Elf

Ezran woke the next morning and didn’t know if he should actually get up or not. He wanted to believe last night had all been a dream, but… 

He was lying on grass somewhere in the woods. 

He missed his bed. He missed his home. 

He missed his dad. 

None of this was fair. He couldn’t understand why Lord Viren would have-- Yes, Lord Viren had never exactly been the closest to Callum or to Ezran for that matter, but Ezran had trusted him. Maybe Callum hadn’t… but Ezran had. He was friends with Claudia and Soren. 

When Callum had come to him in a hurry, telling him to get Bait, gather anything he could carry, he hadn’t understand that, either. Then, Callum had told him about what had happened to their father _by_ Lord Viren’s hand. 

The elves didn’t scare him as much as Lord Viren did. In fact, the elves didn’t really scare him at all. At least they were more honest than his father’s friend had ever been. 

-:-:-:- 

Runaan’s finger trace a path on the map. “We go northeast a short distance, then we head west through the Horn of Dahlia.” 

“The Horn of Dahlia?” Skor raised his brows. “But the passage we came through worked out fine.” 

“But it’s crawling with humans,” Callisto said. “And we might all be without a hand.” 

There was a silence as Runaan nodded. “Precisely. We need to plan for that. The Horn of Dahlia is largely deserted by elves and humans alike. It won’t be guarded the way the rest of the breach is.” 

Andromeda surveyed the map as she said, “Yes, but it’s also home to creatures that are said to eat anything that moves. I assume that would be why it’s deserted.” 

They all looked at Ram. 

Ram made a noise. “Well, it’s not exactly the most habitable place in the world, either. There’s little food or water around for miles. There are rumors of great beasts living there, but whatever _does_ live there can’t need the traditional means of life.” 

“And what is your opinion?” Runaan asked. 

“Well, Dahlia was an elf connected to earth magic. She was _also_ considered relatively insane by the time she died after getting caught in a war between humans and elves. And she picked up a few pieces of forbidden magic along the way.” Ram explained. “They say she died cursing the land they now called the Horn so that no life would grow there, but she also left some nasty things behind as well. Nobody really knows _what_. Mostly because nobody ever climbs the Horn and comes back.” 

“That didn’t make me feel better,” Skor grunted. 

Ram shrugged. 

“Runaan, are you sure about this route?” Andromeda asked. “The costs may outweigh the benefits.” 

“It’s either the humans or the Horn. By the time we reach the Breach, the humans will already be aware of us and on the lookout when we try to slip back into Xadia. Then, there are the forces that may be on our trail to consider,” said Runaan. “I am aware of our problem, but the safest route is the best route.” 

“We have no guarantee that the Horn is the safer route.” 

“But we are guaranteed death if the humans overwhelm us from all sides,” Runaan said. “The Horn of Dahlia is our best option. We don’t actually have to climb it. We may be able to skirt around it, but if we all end up with half our hands then avoiding humans in the tail end of this journey will be imperative.” 

“Humans have mages.” Callisto looked at Andromeda. “And humans have already decided if we should die. An animal might get distracted. The chances are obscure, but more flexible.” 

Though reluctant, Andromeda nodded her understanding. Runaan understood her misgivings. He had some of them himself, after all. The idea of going up a mountain pass that nobody came down from was… uninviting. Still, they had a job to do. As it was, he wasn’t entirely sure if they were going directly up the mountain. The area in and of itself was all they needed. Just to get away or discourage any humans from getting too close to them once they were nearly at Xadia’s border. 

They all went back to their tasks. This time, Ram and Skor were the ones who got to rest, Andromeda and Callisto on scouting and watch. Runaan checked on Rayla. 

She hadn’t woken up since yesterday, but he wasn’t about to try and wake her. Rest. That’s what Callisto had said. Rest. He’d give her all the rest if he could, but… 

He could only hope that that the day and night would suffice. They didn’t have more time to give her. Runaan was already on pins and needles with the humans in such close proximity and working knowledge of the king’s death. Moreover, they blamed Rayla for it. Not to say that the deed wouldn’t have been a desired outcome, but this had become… complicated. 

Callisto had mentioned it to him earlier that day. 

“The king is dead and we are involved in a way that we didn’t anticipate.” 

Runaan opened his eyes from his place meditating. “No, but our stakes are greater now. This is no longer only about justice.” 

And it wasn’t. The king was _dead_. And his sons were now their charges. The circumstances had changed considerably, but… the outcome was neither worse nor better. Prince Ezran as what was essentially a political hostage was a condition that could very well serve Xadia and the greater of the continent’s future. It also didn’t escape Runaan’s attention and secret relief that he no longer felt the need to actually kill the child. The situation had been complex. Honor bound. Yes, that it had been. 

That did not mean the idea of killing a boy was an idea he or any of his comrades found easy to wrap their minds and wills around. Do it, they would. Live with it, they also would have. How well was another story. 

One he hoped they no longer had to consider. 

-:-:-:- 

Callum was approached by Runaan. Immediately, Callum stood. Being in front of this particular elf was… an intense experience. Perhaps it was because this was the most time he had ever spent with elves. In fact, this was his first meeting with them, but even he didn’t need to be told that Runaan was serious business. 

“Who knows you’re gone?” Runaan asked. 

“I don’t know.” Callum hadn’t taken inventory of who might have noticed him gone, exactly. “But Lord Viren knows for sure. He has to know the egg is gone by now.” 

“And this Lord Viren… tell me about him.” Naturally, that was important knowledge. 

“Lord Viren has a lot of connections. He’s incredibly powerful in dark magic. He can do… anything. But he’s not stupid. And he knows that I know he killed my stepdad. We need to get as far away from him as possible. If he catches any of us, we’re dead.” 

“Have you ever witnessed his dark magic directly?” 

Lord Viren’s magic business was generally a… secret endeavor of his. Now that he thought about it, Callum noticed how little Lord Viren actually did in showing off his dark magic. Callum had seen Claudia do it plenty of times. Only for small things though like making pancakes. “Not often. Sometimes, but nothing remarkable. That part I think he keeps a kind of secretive. But he _does_ have his staff that he uses for a lot of his magic. At least, it always seemed important to him.” 

That much was true. Lord Viren was never seen without his staff. Partially because of a weak leg, perhaps, but mostly because it was precious to him. At least, to Callum that had always seemed to be the case. 

Thinking about it now, Callum wished he had taken Lord Viren’s staff. He looked up at Runaan. “Um… how is she?” 

Runaan seemed as if he was thinking about whether or not to answer. “Resting. Your… medicine helped her. After Callisto comes back from his watch he would like to take a look at it.” 

“Yeah, of course. He’s welcome to it.” 

And that was that. The conversation ended with a very short nod from Runaan and Callum let his shoulders sag slightly. That was more unnerving than it had to be. 

“Callum, is everything okay?” 

Callum turned to his little brother with a smile. “Yeah, everything’s alright. He just wanted to ask me a couple questions is all. What about you? Are you…” He didn’t want to sugar coat their position. “You doing alright, Ez?” 

Ezran shrugged. Bait turned blue. 

Callum strode over and pulled his brother into a hug. Neither of them had paused to deal with the fact that their father was gone. He would never hear his stepdad make terrible jokes again. He would never hear the man’s booming voice command a room or turn into the most gentle of tones that he saved only for his family. 

They would never embrace as father and son again. 

He had never even got to call him “Dad’ to his face and see him maybe smile at that. Ezran had mentioned that it would probably make him feel good. Now he had no more chances for that maybe smile. 

Now, both of their parents were gone. 

And the word suddenly felt so big. Too wide. 

His face even felt too dry. But did he have the courage for tears? He didn’t think he did and his body just… couldn’t. Shock? Perhaps. 

But his life had jolted and he hadn’t been prepared for the emptiness that laid in its wake. 

Now, all he could do was hold Ezran as his little brother struggled with whatever was in his own heart as well. 

-:-:-:- 

“Father, I don’t understand. The moon moth failed.” 

“No, the moon moth did _not_ fail. Moonshadow elves are deceitful by _nature_. Moon moths never fail. It was only you who failed to see them. They were probably staring right at you, Soren.” 

Viren stamped his staff. He addressed his daughter. “Claudia, do you still have a piece of the elven girl?” 

Claudia showed him the rag with the elven girl’s blood on it. She had bled in the catacombs after they had sent the shadow smoke dogs after her. “Don’t worry, father. Callum and Ezran will be safe from that murderer. They’re going to pay for what they did to the king.” 

Viren looked over them both and nodded. “Soren, take your men. Claudia, find her. Do what you both must. Bring back the egg. Bring back the princes. And, remember, who knows what those elven assassins may have said to bamboozle the boys. Trust nothing they say. Do you both understand?” 

Soren and Claudia nodded in unison. 

“Good. Now, go. Every moment counts if we’re to get the boys back safe and sound. Make sure you bring them to me as soon as they’re found. I need to make sure they haven’t been put under dangerous elven magic.” 

They began to leave with haste, but Viren tapped his staff with a finger on a last thought. “...Soren?” 

Soren turned. He blinked. “What’s wrong, father?” 

“Don’t let your men kill the one who took the egg if they can help it. Bring her to me. Young Moonshadow elves are hard to come by.” 

His son frowned slightly. “Uh… is this a magic thing?’ 

“Yes.” Viren observed the stone in his staff, pretending to dust it off. “It’s a magic thing.” 

-:-:-:- 

“What is it, Ram?” 

Ram hadn’t even had a chance to sit down when Runaan opened his eyes. Normally, he left it to Callisto and Skor to raise their concerns to Runaan, but something itched at Ram and he wasn’t one to let a itch go unscratched if he had the time for it. 

“This prince. Do you trust him?” 

Runaan raised a brow at him. 

Ram chose a better set of words. “Okay, I know you don’t trust him, but what do you think of him?” 

Runaan and Ram glanced over their shoulders at the fair-skinned prince too busy looking in his book to pay attention to either of them. “I’ve yet to serve judgement, but he is desperate. That much is obvious.” 

“I think he is, too.” 

Runaan observed Ram with a look. Between the two of them, Ram never really had to overly explain himself to Runaan. It was nice. Runaan always took him seriously and that was that. His interest in all things flora and fauna, human or Xadian, had apparently caught his eye a long time ago. The rest was history. 

Runaan nodded at Ram and Ram went on. “Animals that are desperate can be unpredictable. The only thing predictable thing about them is that they’ll do anything to survive when cornered.” 

Runaan glanced at the prince again out of the corner of his eye. “Do you believe he is bound to be a liability?” 

After all, it was Prince Ezran they needed. 

“Only time will tell,” Ram replied. “Even elves can be like that. Especially at that age. But I also think he can be valuable.” 

“For what he knows.” 

Ram nodded. “He can guide us through these human kingdoms in a way only a human prince could, perhaps. Again, time will tell. If he feels safe then it may lessen his risk as a liability. Not to mention, without him, Prince Ezran may cooperate with us less. Not something we’re looking to deal with.” 

-:-:-:- 

Ram had a point. 

It would serve them all well to not conflict too much with the elder prince. Child or not, he could sell them down the river once he was far enough from the capitol, but he could also prove valuable if a personal alliance could be had. 

Callisto and Andromeda leapt back into camp -- 

And he could tell something was wrong just by the looks in their eyes, but they couldn’t get it out before arrows began flying. Runaan dodged as the others got behind something. Then, there as the earth rumble. Horses. 

He heard the thundering of hooves and horses sounding off in the distance, becoming closer, closer at a speed and, from the sounds of it, a number he knew he wasn’t going to be able to outhink for a quick plan. 

He no longer had the use of _mystica arbora_ at his disposal. He had nothing. 

He cursed. They must have circled back to the spot the moon moth had led them too. There hadn’t even been enough time for their team to change locations before -- 

He ran out of whatever time they had. Skor, Andromeda, Ram and Callisto all already had their weapons ready alongside him as a considerable Katolis force swept in and surrounded them, herding them and circling their camp. Out of the corner of his eye, Runaan could see Prince Callum standing nervously to the side, ready to leap any which direction he had to. 

Capture by these soldiers most likely meant death for him and his brother. 

At the helm of these men was the young captain that had unknowingly found them before. He drew his sword. “Surrender yourselves. You are hereby arrested and judged for the murder of King Harrow and the kidnapping of Prince Callum and Prince Ezran. Put down your weapons.” 

Runaan did no such thing and neither did anyone on his team. “We did not kill your king,” he said coldly. 

The girl riding next to the young captain was starkly dressed in all black and gold, “You expect us to believe that our king was murdered and the elven assassins still here in our forests aren’t the ones who did it?” 

“Your king is dead on account of one of your own,” said Andromeda, raising her blade. “If we had killed him then we would not be here.” 

“It’s true, Claudia.” 

Prince Callum stepped forward, revealing himself to the Katolis soldiers. 

Claudia extended her hand. “Callum, come over here. We’ll protect you from the elves.” 

Callum stood his ground. “That’s not the protection I need right now. Soren, Claudia, it was _your_ father who killed the king.” 

The captain whose name was Soren narrowed his eyes. “What did these elves tell you to make you think that?” 

“Nothing! I _saw_ your father kill mine! He did it with dark magic! He--” 

“They’re _lying_ , Callum.” Claudia said still reaching out for him. “Moonshadow elves are horrible, terrible bloodthirsty manipulators--” 

“Can I just throw a knife at her?” Ram grumbled. 

“--and whatever they told you is a _lie_.” 

“Then why did your father have the egg? Why was it in his office?” Callum demanded. 

“He took it to _protect_ us, Callum. That way the elves and the dragons couldn’t use it against us. I don’t know what they told you, but you don’t understand what kind of powerful weapon it is.” 

There was a long pause. 

“ _A_ _ **what**_ _?”_ That was Skor on the other side of the clearing. For once, Runaan was glad he said something. “I can’t even make my focking breakfast out of this thing! _What kind of weapon are we supposed to be making out of it?"_

Soren pointed his sword at Skor. “We’re not buying the act. You know it’s a powerful doomsday weapon you can use against humans.” 

Even Callisto paused, blinking, echoing Runaan’s thoughts. “...the egg?” 

Skor actually took a look around at everyone present to see if any of these humans actually believed such nonsense. He waved an irate hand at Soren and Claudia. “Well, then you all must be focking geniuses since you’ve discovered a way _to make a weapon of war out of an_ _**egg**_.” 

“Soren, it’s not a weapon. It’s an egg. There’s nothing mysterious about it and it should go back home. That’s what _started_ all of this,” Callum plead with them. “Can’t you see that?” 

As they talked, Runaan calculated their chances. They weren’t good. These were a lot of soldiers and there was only six of them. Five since Rayla was in no shape to be in an all out battle. Not to mention, they had to protect the princes and the egg-- 

The egg. 

Runaan tried to look at his tent where it was hidden for the time being. Doubtless, they would search the camp up and down and find it. They had to leave. 

But _how?_

They were surrounded. Not a gap, not a way out unless they fought their way out and he just couldn’t see that happening with their circumstances. 

“This is getting us nowhere.” Soren swung his sword in a command. “Take them out. Find the egg. Callum, come here.” 

Runaan split his bow into swords and readied himself for a fight to the death. The image of Rayla in that tent burned in his skull. The egg and the promise it represented. If death came for him today, he was already dead. He could accept this, but he would not accept it without trying to get at least one or two survivors out of this. For The Dragon Prince. To give Rayla a fighting chance. 

“Your father will _kill_ us both!” 

“ _Callum.”_

“Uh…” Claudia cut in. “Where _is_ Ez?” 

-:-:-:- 

Callum’s head was spinning. Ez. Ezran. 

Where was Ezran? 

Where was he, where was he, where was he-- 

Not now, not now. He couldn't be gone. DId someone come and take him? Did he run off? Callum was willing to bet that he ran off when he heard the noise, but Ezran had never been one to run away like that. Then again, he also had never encountered assassins and soldiers about to have an all out battle. 

Callum surveyed the situation. If they fought, he had a confidence that Runaan would go for Soren and Claudia first. Claudia for sure since she could do dark magic. That much was obvious with the glowing whatever it was in her hand. It looked like a stained rag. 

A stone sunk into his belly. Soren and Claudia were still his friends. At least, as it stood right now. He didn’t want to see them hurt or dead. Knowing Soren he was just following his father’s order. Callum thought of Claudia dead and something panicked inside his brain. Not Claudia, he prayed. 

That being said, he was already well into panic territory. 

_Where was Ezran?_

Was he hiding in the tents? He could be hiding. 

“Ez? Ezran where are you?” Callum, not giving a damn who was there, sifted through the tents in a flurry. He got to Rayla’s tent. “Ezra--” 

And stopped. 

The tent was empty. 

He could feel Runaan’s eyes on him. Did he know that Rayla wasn’t in there? Callum dared not look at any of the elves. He barely could look at Soren and Claudia. Ezran and Rayla were missing. That was going to be suspicious, but he wasn’t sure. And the egg, the egg wasn’t in Runaan’s tent like he had seen. 

The egg, Ezran and Rayla were all missing. 

He wasn’t sure if this was good or not. 

“What is it? Who’’s in there?” Soren demanded. When Callum didn’t respond, Soren gave an order to one of his men. “Go over there and check it out-- _Don’t_ you even think about moving elf. You move, we shoot.” 

The guard who pulled Callum out of the way poked his head into Rayla’s tent. He went inside. A moment later, he emerged with Rayla’s bloody set of clothes. “There’s no one in there. But there was.” 

Soren and Claudia exchanged looks. Claudia raised the rag even higher as if she were searching for something. Callum didn’t like that. 

Any moment now, they were going to order the elves dead and it was going to turn into a bloodbath. The elves weren’t just going to lie down and die, that much Callum didn’t need to wonder. But that meant his chances of getting out of Katolis and away from Viren might evaporate if the elves lost and looking at these odds... 

He had to think, had to think, had to think. 

His mind was on fire trying to come up with _something_. 

Then, he turned to the elves, Runaan specifically. “ _What_ did you do to my younger brother? Where is he? What’d you bloodthirsty monsters do with him?” 

Stars, he hoped this would work. 

Runaan snarled at him, but said nothing. Callisto’s face was unreadable, but he could see Skor cocking a hatchet in his hand. Okay, he had to be quick about this. 

“Claudia, you were right,” Callum carefully made his way over to her despite the elf with the dark skin and short hair -- Ram, Callum roughly remembering his name -- following his every movement like a hawk. “They must have done something with Ezran and the egg. We have to find them before something happens to him.” 

He could hear Skor mutter something vicious about trusting humans. 

Whatever the case, Soren took one look at him and it was clear that Callum had won out. “We will. Don’t worry Callum. Let’s just take care of them and we’ll find Ezran and that murderer. Take them out.” 

Callum grabbed him by the sword. “No!” When Soren frowned at him in confusion, Callum stammered. “W-we don’t know where Ezran is. Shouldn’t we find him first?’ 

Claudia looked at her brother. “He’s right, Soren. We might need leverage. Especially if we can’t bring the youngest elf back for father.” 

Soren weighed the input. He glared at the elves and Callum looked back at them, too. At Runaan who looked ready to slit someone’s throat right then, right there. “None of us are going with you. We’ll die first.” 

“That can be arranged,” Soren told him. He waved a hand and the elves, ready to move, nearly leapt for the soldiers. “But later.” 

“ _Ymene ym mlehwrevo.”_

Claudia recited a bone chilling enchantment and blew some kind of dust from her hand. The dust clouded the area the elves stood at and turned black. Callum backed up from it. He could hear them hacking and fighting to get out, but the dust just followed them like a snake as they tried to escape. 

The soldiers threw lassoed ropes into the fray, dragging an elf to the ground every few throws until finally Runaan hit the ground, murder in his bloodshot eyes. Whatever the dust was prevented them from breathing and seeing. 

Callum _prayed_ this idea of his went in his favor. 

-:-:-:- 

The hour passed and the elves were each tied to an individual tree. They were questioned and pressed for information they effectively didn’t have. Not that they were going to say anything anyway. He had a feeling they would rather die first in any case. 

In that time, Callum still stirred in worry over Ezran. Several times, he tried to get Soren and Claudia to let him go find Ezran on his on, but they always told him to wait. If they could get information from the elves then they would find him quickly and this could all be over. 

It soon became evident that the elves would not be helping. Callum himself tried not to look at them. They all looked at him with distasteful curiosity or outright murder. 

“This needs to end,” Soren finally said. “Men, spread out and search the forest. The prince must be around here somewhere. You four. You stay here and guard the elves. Callum, come on.” 

Callum froze. “Uh…” 

Soren frowned. “Uh, what? Weren’t you just bugging us to go find him?” 

“Well, yeah, but…” Callum hunched his shoulders. “I was just thinking. You know, I should stay here. In case he comes back.” 

Claudia shrugged. “That makes sense. Soren and I will look around the forest. Will you be alright here?” 

“Me? Of course,” Callum mock-scoffed. “I’ve got guards with me. I’ll be fine.” 

Claudia smiled a little and he might have relaxed as she mounted her horse if Soren had done the same. He did not. Soren stared at Callum, seeming to debate whether or not to mount as well. Soren was… many things. Not always the brightest maybe, but he _was_ a crownguard at his age for a reason. He wasn’t completely without a sense of suspicion. 

Soren walked right up to him and began sifting through his pockets and his clothes. Finally, he yanked a knife out of the sleeve Callum had hidden it in. Callum grimaced. 

“You lied,” Soren said, both disappointed and angry. “You were going to free the elves when we were gone! We’re trying to _help_ you, Callum!” 

Callum yanked his arm out of Soren’s grip, not looking at Claudia. He didn’t want to see the disappointment on her face, too. “By what? Taking me to your father? He’ll have us both killed. I keep telling you! And I’m _not_ letting you do that.” 

“Callum…” There was Claudia’s disappointment. “Our father is only trying to _help_ you. These people, these elves _murdered_ your father. The _king_. How could you side with them?” 

“Because they’ve already got him in their hands. He’s their puppet now,” Soren took a step back from Callum and nodded to two of his men. “Tie him up. We can’t have him running around while we look for Prince Ezran.” 

“No! Let me find him! Leave him alone!” Callum kicked as the guards dragged him to a tree. “You’ll scare him! You can’t take us back! _Please, listen to me! Your father killed mine and he wants to do the same to us! Soren! Claudia! Please,_ you guys have to believe me!” 

Claudia put a hand to her mouth as they tied him up. Soren’s brows twitched together. His words to Callum were regrettable. “I’m sorry, Step-Prince.” 

-:-:-:- 

Night fell. 

Rayla stayed out of sight till then. Nothing could be done until the full moon. 

Stars above, she couldn’t fight a squirrel let alone four fully armed soldiers of Katolis the way she was now. It just wasn’t going to happen with her alive in the end. When the commotion started, she didn’t know what was going on. Not immediately. Then, Skor was shouting about the egg and she knew she had to get out of there. _With_ the egg. With the young prince. 

The young prince had been somewhere near one of the other tents, mercifully out of sight. It was easy to grab him and get out of camp. She just hoped he would stay in the tree she put him in. Under no circumstance, she instructed him, should he move unless one of them came for him. Otherise, the people looking for him were going to drag him back to Katolis. She didn’t know the exact conditions of whatever reason they were now travelling with them -- she’d been in and out of consciousness at that point -- but she knew enough that they didn’t want to go back to Katolis. Putting two and two together, she had a fairly solid idea _why._

Not only would they be dragged back to the castle, but so would the egg and that could _not_ happen. They were too close to getting out of here and going home to Xadia. The Dragon Prince could be with it’s mother and _maybe_ a crisis could be averted. Although, she wouldn’t put it past the humans to muck it up _somehow_. 

Especially with their dark magic. 

Rayla shook her head. Focus. 

She could see the guards standing close to the bushes. Clouds still covered a moon that wasn’t quite risen enough for her powers to reach their height yet. Just a little while longer. 

Another hour passed. It was only luck at this point that the rest of the forces hadn’t come back to the site. She could see Runaan tied up in the middle. That human captain had kicked him when he wouldn’t talk. A leader to leader exchange of some kind. Now, she wanted to do more than kick that human back. 

She had to move. Full form or not, she had to go. This was taking too long. 

As if someone had heard her problems, the clouds began to part and the moon, finally reaching its zenith, was there in all it’s luminous glory and she could _feel_ it. She felt one with the light of the moon and her skin became like the night itself. Dark and clear all at once. This form took over her and she just moved like the wind. 

It wasn’t easy. Powers or no powers, her body was still screaming for rest. Every few feet was an effort. But she had to keep going with this momentum. She could rest later. If she didn’t do this then there _was_ no later. 

The first guard to go was the one who just wasn’t paying attention. He was bored. Annoyed. He didn’t want to be there and it showed. He got too close to the shadows of the trees and she snatched him first. 

Don’t think, don’t think, don’t think, she told herself. If she thought about him then she would hesitate. This was _not_ the moment to hesitate. 

She couldn’t let everyone down again. 

She couldn’t let Runaan down. Not again. 

She brought her blade across his throat before he could even begin fighting her. For a few brief moments, he struggled, but quickly fell to death’s spell. Rayla dragged her eyes away from him before a gaze too long cost her her life. 

The deed was done. 

Move on. 

And, so she did. She made herself. She was an assassin. _An assassin_. And an assasin had to be efficient. She was doing this for a reason. Runaan’s voice about having a job to do rang in her ears. This was her job and a job had to be done when called upon. Even if it’d been a bloody day, indeed. Her first one, really. Maybe that’s why it felt heavy on her, still. 

The second guard entered the shadows and never came out. Rayla made sure to drag their bodies, slowly, but surely into the bushes where the other two wouldn’t trip on their feet. 

Next one. 

She had to be quick with the third guard. That one had realized that the other two were no longer at their posts. He came too close and she dragged him to his death as well. 

One more. Just _one more_ and she could free her team. Even that damn prince that had tried to pull a fast one on them. She was ready for the last guard, but he had heard the commotion and refused to come into the shadow. 

Rayla could see the others in their full forms. Not that it was going to help them much tied up. The guard moved into the light, sword drawn and surveying the space carefully. He looked right at her a couple times. “I know you’re there. Show yourself!” 

Okay, this one was big. Pulling him into the bushes would be difficult even if he did manage to bring himself over to her location. But she couldn’t _fight_ him. Not like this. Her body was already trembling from the three she _had_ managed to take down. 

She only had so much time. Not just from the soldiers who would eventually come back, but because her own body wasn’t going to hold up at this rate itself. There was only one option: jump him. Jump him when he was a tad less ready. 

Rayla waited. She dared not move. Just another minute or two so he would get out of the clearing. In the meantime, she positioned himself, stalking him like prey at his every move. Eventually, she was behind him. 

He was investigating the bush shadows directly across from her. She didn’t look at Runaan. She didn’t look at Andromeda or Callisto or Skor or Ram. She didn’t look at the prince. Even though she could feel their eyes on her, she dared not to even flick her eyes in their direction. Her shot was _now_. Blades out, ready to pounce once she was close enough, she stalked across the moonlit clearing. 

The guard wasn’t paying attention. 

Just a little closer. 

Just a _little closer--_

He twirled and swung at her. Rayla barely dodged his sword and her body screamed, legs trembling as she leapt out of the way. The guard brought his sword down and she scrambled out of the way again. 

“There you are, _elf_ ,” the guard growled and charged at her. 

She couldn’t fight him. She couldn’t go toe to toe with him like she could so easily on any other night, but tonight. If their swords met, his strength would break hers in a second. He swung, she dodged, he swung again, she rolled out of the way. If she dared to swing at him that might be it. 

Her lungs burned. Her body cried out for release from this madness Rayla was inflicting on herself. The places where she had been ripped open, new skin over it healing better than she ever thought they would, still roared with the pain of being treated so roughly. Not to mention, her strength just wasn’t there. 

To even _walk_ felt like a chore at this point. 

She forced strength to be there where it just refused to be. That fight alone was draining. 

Her mind wandered for a second too long. 

The guard raised a heavy leg faster than she had anticipated and landed a kick right in her chest. Rayla went flying, her back slamming into a rock. The wind left her like a storm. She saw stars. Across the clearing, the others were looking at her, saying something she couldn’t hear. Runaan was looking at her, willing her with his eyes just to _get up_. 

_Breathe_ . 

She looked at him and forced air into her lungs. Loudly, laboriously, she gasped, a searing pain spreading across her ribs with every rise and fall of her chest. Behind her enemy, the prince was kicking at something with his foot. Kicking. Kicking. Looking at her. 

To her left. She felt through the grass at her left. String. A tight string. 

Runaan’s bow. And his arrows just a skip away. 

Rayla dragged herself upright against the rock, bringing Runaan’s bow and an arrow to her side as discreetly as she could. In this shadow, the green of the grass, she prayed the guard wouldn’t quite see them. She glowered at him. If he could just get closer… she didn’t have the strength from this distance. But closer... 

“This is over.” The guard approached her. Closer. He raised his sword. Closer. “He wanted you alive, but I’ll explain your corpse to Lord Viren. Sure he’ll find a use for it.” 

There. 

Years of practice kicked in and Rayla nocked the arrow faster than the guard could move in that armor. She loosed. 

The arrow went through his neck. He clawed at it, trying to save himself from what was certain and fell back, spitting blood onto the grass until he stilled. 

Chest still burning, Rayla loosed a breath. “Now, it’s over.” 

Or, not yet. She couldn’t stop. Even if the world was going sideways as she got up and stumbled toward Runaan. She put one of her swords back and used the other to slice through the ropes holding him hostage. 

Runaan caught her before she fell. In one swift motion, he took her sword and cut Callisto from his tree. Callisto did the rest as Runaan kept Rayla on her feet. 

-:-:-:- 

Runaan wasn’t about to let Rayla go even as everyone was finally untied. Everyone except the prince. 

She had finally done it. He knew she was able to, but… no matter what happened in that castle, he had witnessed her put an end to her enemy. She had done enough for today. 

“Runaan, the egg… the other prince…” It was a struggle for her to speak, even. “I hid them in a tree not too far from here…” 

“Stay awake for a little longer. Show us,” he said. He would have put her over his shoulder if it hadn’t been for that kick to her chest. Doubtless a rib or two was broken. Cracked, at least. He lowered his voice for her. “You won’t fall. I have you.” 

Rayla’s lip twitched, but then she looked at Prince Callum who was still tied up. “...what about him…?” She sounded as unpleasant about discussing _him_ as Runaan felt about the situation. 

Runaan considered the prince who knew better than to plead with his mouth. His eyes, on the other hand, were a different story. 

“Runaan.” 

Runaan looked at Ram. It was an unreadable face. 

Runaan looked at the elder prince. He nodded to Ram. “Hurry and untie him. We are leaving.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long chapter, but it came in strong! I have a lot of imagery for this chapter and it actually was fun writing Soren and Claudia. And in Callum's head. It's always fun adding more of the Elf Squad, too. I really hope that they're personalities are coming through! It also was fun to write him in a bit more of a serious manner considering the situation. Rayla my girl is finally up and about, too. 
> 
> Please consider commenting! It really keeps me motivated and lets me know you guys are reading the story! It's been pretty cool seeing how many of you guys have been enjoying it thus far and I promise I'll do my best to deliver! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	4. What Is Right

When they finally stopped running, the moon was already going down. Light hadn’t quite started peeking over the horizon, not that Callum could see above the trees. 

The elves moved faster than he was accustomed to, but he kept up and made sure Ezran kept up, too. They were just too close to being at least a bit out of the figurative woods and Soren and Claudia had _horses_. Shaking them off was important. 

So, he was at least a little relieved when he turned and saw the castle in the distance. Just a little relieved. 

“We stop here for the night.” Runaan said, handing Rayla off to Callisto. “In the morning, we move. All of you rest. I will act as watch.” 

But Rayla shrugged herself off of Callisto’s shoulders. She drew a blade. 

And placed it’s point directly at Callum’s throat. 

Callum froze. “H-hey, wait a minute. I can explain.” 

“Then, start _explaining_.” Rayla said in a voice that might have sounded more menacing if she also didn’t seem to have a hard time breathing. “What was that? You called us bloodthirsty monsters. You almost got us all _killed_. Or was that a part of your little plan?” 

“What? No!” Callum shook his head and, seeing the stony faces of the rest of their team, he put his hands up. “I only said those things because I was trying to keep them from killing you guys! Listen, I know I had a funny way of showing it--” 

Rayla scoffed. “Oh, it was absolutely _hilarious_.” 

“It’s true! I was just trying to get us all out of there. Please believe me.” He tried to take a step around her sword. 

She readjusted it back to the apex of his neck. “Why? You humans lie all the time and you just proved it. Why should we believe anything you’ve got to say?” 

“Because how would I benefit if you died? _How?_ I _swear._ ” When she didn’t drop her sword, despite the trembling in her hand, he actually leaned into the sword a bit. “If I wanted any of you dead then _you_ wouldn’t be here.” 

“What’s _that_ supposed to me-” Rayla growled at him, but her body didn’t seem to like how much energy this confrontation was taking out of her. She sucked in a sharp breath, doubling over and clutching her side as swayed on her feet. 

Callum put his arms down and almost reached out for her. “Hey, are you okay?” 

Rayla sharply levelled that blade back up to his throat. Callum didn’t move, but still saw where she was holding herself at. From the way she was standing, she must have been in a lot of pain. Runaan steadied her with a hand over the one she had threatening Callum. She looked up at him. “But, Runaan.” 

“He has a point.” Runaan looked at Callum, blue eyes boring into him. “And you need to go lie down. But rest assured it won’t happen again. I suggest you tread carefully, Prince.” 

Callum nodded under Runaan’s stare. He meant it. Next time, he was probably going to think twice about saying something to upset the elves. At the very least, Runaan and Rayla. 

-:-:-:- 

Callisto helped Rayla to the under a tree. “Thanks.” 

“I could say the same to you,” Callisto carefully began prodding at her ribs. Gently as possible. She hissed when he slid over the most painful places. “Here?” 

Rayla nodded. She pointed to another spot. “And here.” 

Callisto pressed slightly harder. She flinched. “Sorry. They do seem cracked. Or at least bruised. You’re going to have to take it easy for a little bit.” 

She hated hearing that. Her mobility was always so free. Feeling it suppressed like this by her _own_ body didn’t exactly feel great. She sighed. “I’m sorry. I’m going to slow everyone down.” 

He pulled out a small jar of ointment and instructed for her to pick up her shirt where the pain was. Gently again, he spread only a little bit over her injuries. “We also wouldn’t be here without you.” 

“We’re in this mess _because_ of me.” 

“Perhaps, but we all have made mistakes, Rayla. I have. And yes, even Runaan. It’s true that in our line of work mistakes can be horrendous and we should avoid them at all costs. But.” Callisto jerked his head at the egg sitting near Andromeda. “Sometimes they’re necessary. Now, you need rest. We only have a few hours before morning.” 

Rayla nodded. As he left her, she let herself slip into a fitful sleep. 

-:-:-:- 

Callisto rubbed his eyes as he found in a tree to _maybe_ sleep. Maybe. He doubted it. His nerves were still wired from their trek across the forest to escape the human soldiers. He kept his dual blades conjoined and across his lap. That alone would keep him awake. 

“You really should put that away,” Ram climbed up into the branch next to him. “It’s not going to do you much good up here.” 

Callisto glanced at him with an open eye. “I want to be ready if we’re attacked. You should be, too.” 

“Well, if an arrow comes flying that’s not really going to help you.” 

“Thank you, Ram.” 

Ram shrugged. “So, do you think he means it? The prince, I mean.” 

“He means not to die so I suppose the things he’s doing align to that point, but if we were the murderous elves their kind teach about us then he wouldn’t have to worry about running from the high mage anymore.” 

Callisto glanced down at the prince underneath a different tree. He had to be about Rayla’s age. There was a book he kept strapped to his side. A reader or an artist. One of the two. Then, there was his younger brother, Prince Ezran. Callisto hadn’t gotten involved in the discussion about whether or not to kill the boy, but he favored Andromeda’s point. There was no need to kill him now that they had the egg and the king was dead. Not that Callisto fancied losing a hand, but that was the risk they took with the binding ritual. 

The brothers didn’t initially resemble each other, but now Callisto could see it. Callum had green eyes and fair skin while Ezran had blue eyes and medium brown skin. Callisto suspected a blended family. Adoption, maybe. Later, it might be useful to ask. That would explain why Prince Ezran was the heir and not Prince Callum. 

Ram adjusted himself on the branch. “He’s pretty young. Rayla’s age, probably. I think it’s a passable offense. Do you think Runaan will let it go?” 

“That remains to be seen, but he seems to have let it go for now. Is he taking watch?” 

“Mmhm.” Ram nodded. “You know, he hasn’t slept since yesterday.” 

Callisto snorted. Of course. “Don’t ask him to either. You know how he is.” 

“I know,” said Ram. “He usually only listens to you about that kind of thing. Maybe Andromeda.” 

“I haven’t bothered. He’s too focused on the humans being so close to us. Makes him nervous. I can’t blame him.” Callisto shared the sentiment. 

“And Rayla?” 

“And Rayla.” Callisto glanced at him again, Ram’s face implying a question. “She’s fine. For now. She’s not dying right now, anyway. But she’s in bad shape. Can’t stand on her own and she can barely breathe right. There’s no way she’s moving any faster than we are now. This is already pushing past her limits. She needs real time to heal.” 

“Have you told Runaan any of this?” 

“Not in detail. Don’t need to. He knows her better than I do and I’m sure he sees it without me having to explain it.” 

“You think so?” 

Callisto tried not to sigh. He just wanted to sleep for the little bit of time he was permitted. “Ram.” 

He heard Ram chuckle. “Rest, Callisto. I’ll keep those arrows from killing you in your sleep.” 

-:-:-:- 

Callum didn’t question it when the elves left him alone. Too wound up and too desperately in need of _some_ sleep after that emotionally taxing night. He hadn’t thought his day would end with a sword at his throat. 

Under a tree, Rayla looked uncomfortable even in her sleep. He watched her for a breath. 

She opened her eyes. 

Callum froze, her violet eyes glowered at him. 

He got the message and turned away from her, facing Ezran who was hugging Bait in a sleep that he could tell wasn’t coming along great. 

“Ez?” Callum laid down next to Ezran. “You asleep?” 

“No…” Ezran rolled over. “Bait isn’t sleeping so well.” 

Bait croaked quietly in agreement. Callum smiled a little and pet Bait on the head. “Well, I hope Bait is okay after everything that happened today… is he?” 

Ezran took too long of a moment to nod. Callum’s heart dropped. His baby brother had been so withdrawn since yesterday. Normally, Ezran was so friendly and ready to talk to anyone even if he wasn’t always good at making friends. But after their father’s death… 

He hated that this was probably unavoidable. 

Ezran hadn’t even shed a tear. It was as if… as if his brother felt nothing but the overwhelming gloom of their lives being shattered. Nothing else, the light in his eyes so dim. Defeated. 

Callum’s heart shriveled at the sight. 

Later, they would talk. Later, they would cry over their father. They would have the time to grieve. _They would._ For now, they had to keep focus. At least, Callum did. He rested his head against the grass. It was time to sleep so they could run from the man who shredded their lives. 

Callum didn’t even know if he should cry or break something. 

-:-:-:- 

“ _You’ve gone far enough.”_

_The slithers of dark magic burned against her skin. She could see the egg. It was so close._

_But it_ burned _. She’d never felt magic that burned like this. It didn’t burn like the magic of the Sunfire elves. No, not like that. Not like that kind of fire that she might light up like a torch._

_This kind of burning felt like it could incinerate her from the inside out._

_Just as Rayla wanted to scream out from the horrible grip on her wrists tightening, pinning her to the stone wall, the room shifted and she was running down a stone hall with the egg between her hands._

_The egg was slowing her down. It was heavier than she thought it would be, but she could make it._

_She had to make it._

_In the darkness of the hall behind her, she heard the mage’s voice._

“ _Do you think you can just take the egg? Do you think you can escape me, elf? Run, but I will find you.”_

_Vicious growling and snarling snapped at her heels. Faster, faster._

_Faster._

_She was surrounded. These beasts couldn’t be cut through. They were just made of smoke from that unholy burning. There were only two of them, but she just couldn’t get around them. Not with this egg. The dogs leapt. She dodged to and fro. Her first instinct was to slice her way out, but it wouldn’t work here. Wherever she stepped, they were there to dance with her._

_The darkness was enclosing on her. The_ world _was enclosing in on her._

_The beasts loomed and snapped--_

_The egg. They couldn’t have the egg._

_They dogs leapt. She had no time._

_She threw herself to the ground, the egg protected against her belly as the dogs tore into her._

_Someone._

_She was a Moonshadow elf. She wasn’t supposed to show fear._

_Runaan._

_**Anyone--**_

Rayla bolted upright, gasping for air. Her eyes desperately adjusted to the dark. Her skin was cold, damp with sweat. 

She was under a tree. Under the stars. Under the moon. 

She looked up, Callisto and Ram were sleeping in a tree. Andromeda against a boulder not too far away. Skor on the other side of it. The princes were under another tree on the other side of the clearing. 

She wasn’t under a castle. She was in the woods with other elves. 

Rayla slacked against the bark at her back. She looked at the dark marks on her wrists. Perhaps she could ask Callisto if he could do anything about them when morning came and they were in a more secure location. Looking at them made her feel a little sick. Maybe Andromeda had her spare wrist bands somewhere. 

With significant difficulty, she got up. If Callisto saw her, he would have killed her. Or, at least, he might have taken watch just to ensure that she didn’t move, but she couldn’t sit there after… whatever that was. It was a little unbearable. Frankly, _more_ unbearable than her pitiful attempt to walk on her own. Eventually, she began using the trees for support. How long was she asleep? From the look of things, dawn would be upon them soon. 

Where she was even going, she didn’t quite know, but she made sure to keep inventory of everyone’s energies. It wouldn’t do to stray too far away from the group. 

She slipped and fell to her knees. This was _pathetic_. 

Moon help her, she couldn’t even get up on her own without feeling as if her body was ready to splinter in on itself. Now, she quite frankly felt stuck here on the ground and she would have to call someone to come pick her up. Rayla nearly cried. What a mess everything was. And it was all because of _her_. 

Just as that thought passed, she felt him before he jumped down in front of her. Looking up from where she involuntarily resting, Runaan seemed mildly perplexed by her position. Expecting to be given a stern talking to, she instead watched as he got down to her level. 

“You should be asleep.” 

“I couldn’t,” she told him, looking away. 

He waited for her to say something more, then reached out to pick her up. “Come. Let’s get you back--” 

Something inside Rayla seized her, urging her to take the moment. “Wait, Runaan I need to tell you something.” 

“It can wait until morning.” 

“No.” She said when he tried to help her again. He stopped. After a pause, he stayed on one knee kneeling down in front of her. Now that he was listening, she continued. “No, I… I need to apologize to you. You were right.” He said nothing, but his face softened just a touch. It spurred her on. “When I was in the castle, I was caught by their high mage after I found the egg. That’s why Iooked like a mess when you found me.” 

“Their high mage?” Runaan frowned. 

Rayla nodded. 

“He… he used his dark magic to pin me to the wall and said he was going to _dissect_ me. It was like I wasn’t even a living thing to him. And the magic, it felt wrong. Like _nothing_ I’ve ever felt before.” 

Runaan nodded slowly. He was still listening to her. “How did you escape?” 

“One of his guards distracted him and I got away, but he sent these… these _beasts_ made of _dark magic smoke_ and I couldn't cut through them.” She hunched her shoulders. “I couldn’t get away.” 

“And you still managed to get out of the castle?” 

“Yes… I just… picked myself up and ran. I don’t even remember all of it. I was just cutting through guards until I got over the wall and dragged myself into the woods. I think I lost a lot of blood by then because I don’t remember most of it. But I do remember the guard that distracted their high mage… I cut his throat the way I was going to with that guard from earlier you told me to kill.” Rayla expected her eyes to sting, but they didn’t. Instead, it felt as if she were floating in some lost sea with no direction. She looked up at him. “Is… is it supposed to feel like this? Like I was wrong? I know I had to do it, but I did it because I didn’t know what _else_ to do and they were going to kill me. They were going to take the _egg_ and use it for their _dark magic_. I… I had to, right...?” 

She hunched her shoulders again and squeezed her eyes shut when they began to sting. No tears. _No crying_. This was her job. She was supposed to take pride in this and-- 

There, in the dark, Runaan took her head in her hands and lifted her face to look at him. “Harden your heart to it, Rayla,” He said firmly, but not unkindly. His eyes reflected the soft whisper of his voice in that moment. “Not entirely. Just enough to keep moving. You should know something: I would be concerned if you were eager to do it.” 

“Y-you would?” 

“Rayla, what we do is not out of joy. We do it out of honor. Justice. We do it because we must. This job… it is very difficult. And your heart makes it even more so, but it will also help keep you on the right path. This is something we bear. Carefully. We bear it with honor, but it is something we bear nonetheless,” He wiped away the single tear she couldn’t stop from rolling down her cheek. “You did well today.” 

Rayla hung a hand from his wrist and breathed a shaky sigh. “So, I’m-I’m not just… not strong enough for this?” 

Runaan shook his head. “Not at all. It’s not easy to take your first life. Or any number of lives, human or not. And, yes, you made mistakes, but you redeemed yourself and you put your life on the line for the greater good. For Xadia. For the Dragon Prince. Rayla, the truth is that the things _we_ do won’t always feel right. You will regret your actions. You will wish things had gone differently. Sometimes, you will think of your victims families. These transitions _are_ difficult. Complicated. But remember, we’re not monarchs or mages or judges. We’re assassins. We are called to decide life and death. Nothing more.” He let go of her face and stood to scoop her up. She winced at the pain. “Now, you still defied my direct orders and we need to work on that, but… I believe you will be fine. You can do this.” 

There was a considerable amount of relief in the way Runan looked at her during that exchange. Rayla was too embarrassed to tell him that it made her feel five again. In a good way. Five and exhausted and falling asleep in his arms after a long day of training to be the best. He would always give her a lesson in what it took to be a good assassin besides just her skills. Perhaps, they had paid off when it counted most. Just maybe. It still felt… complicated. What she had done. But there was clarity there. The waters were no longer quite as murky as they were before. 

“Runaan?” 

“Yes?” 

Rayla lowered her voice as he carried her closer to where the others were still asleep. “Thanks.” 

He smiled just a bit as the faintest pink light tickled the sky, his voice barely a whisper. “Always.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bit of a shorter chapter, but definitely one to lull things a tad after all the action of last chapter. A very important scene between Runaan and Rayla that sets up (and reveals) a few things, chiefly the things Rayla's going through right now. Getting caught by Viren, the first human she's ever personally encountered, definitely had an effect on her.
> 
> Also, I should address the name thing: The elf squads real names will eventually be revealed (their models have been recently) and so, depending on when they're revealed and what is revealed I'll either A) Go in and change the names in the fic or B) Keep them as is and that's just who they are in this fic. It depends on when it's revealed (a month from now vs a year from now, for instance) how involved they might be in the future, personalities (if we get any) vs what I've penned and how you guys would prefer, so, please let me know what you might prefer!
> 
> Anyway, I love seeing you guys comment and it really makes my day. Please consider commenting if you have anything to say! It really lets me know you guys are interested in this story! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	5. The Lodge

The next three days went by staggeringly slow. In the woods, light was just fine most of the time. Lush greens everywhere they looked and chirping birds with not a care in the world. The sounds of the river kept the silence somewhat comfortable despite their less than circumstances. It all would have been a particularly scenic route to take if they weren’t trying to escape certain death. The situation itself was nerve wracking to say the least. Most of all, Callum noticed, was that Rayla was definitely _not_ getting better. He was no healer, but her ability to walk wasn’t improving. She just seemed tired all the time. Tired and grumpy. 

They were all tired. He supposed that’s why he noticed so much. 

Tired and hungry and in desperate need of sleep that wasn’t ruined by a deer stepping on a twig or something. Worst of all, they had no real _food_. Any actual thing to eat had been left behind at the camp when they made their escape. Callum’s first priority was Ezran and while Ezran wasn’t complaining, his temperment hadn’t improved and he doubt it was being helped by the sheer lack of anything to eat. Which wasn’t helping anyone in the sleep department while he thought about it. 

A handful of berries a day wasn’t enough to feed eight people. 

His thoughts were going around in circles. Food, sleep, food, sleep... 

In the past few days he _had_ figured out who was who though. Runaan was easy to remember. He was the tallest, the obvious leader and he had the longest hair Callum had ever seen on anyone. Andromeda was the only female elf on the team, dark skinned with calm green eyes and long hair -- though it still wasn’t as long as Runaan’s. Skor was the other male with long hair, half his head shaved and a braid tied back to the side of his head. It was also hard to mistake his colorful use of words. 

Ram was the dark skinned male with red eyes. He seemed to take curious notice of Ezran quite a bit. Or maybe it was Bait. The other elves always asked him about anything that had to do with plants or animals. 

Callisto was the elf with the earrings on one elongated ear and all of his head shaved except the hair on the top that swept past his forehead. He never seemed to be too nonplussed about anything. He also seemed to be Runaan’s right hand man. Elf. Elven male. 

Each of their distinct tattoos made things a bit easier as well. 

Then, there was Rayla. Rayla with her very distinctive triangle tattoos inked under her eyes to a point midway down her cheeks. She was the youngest of them. Taller than Callum by a scant inch and normally annoyed every time she came face to face with him. He could tell even without the facial expression. Those purple eyes got unusually focused when she wasn’t happy. Even if she wasn’t looking at the source of her disdain. There was something to the color around them that he couldn’t quite place. Then again, the only person she seemed to have a real problem with was with him. 

If he got too close to her, she just intentionally did her best to ignore his presence. She listened to Runaan. She naturally got along with her comrades and even seemed to be perfectly fine with Ezran. That much he was grateful for, at least. The last thing he wanted was for anyone to be sour to Ezran right now. 

Ezran seemed particularly fidgety as they began walking along the banks of a river, sticking to the cover of the trees for security. He smacked his lips. 

Callum turned to look at him. “You okay, Ez?” 

“Yeah,” Ezran looked at the river. “I’m just a little thirsty. Bait’s okay though. Bait can just drink from the river.” 

Callum had no flask for either of them. Any water they had was just from creeks and watering holes they happened upon, but everything had been left at the elves’ camp. They had nothing to actually hold the water in. Not to mention, they couldn’t just be drinking from any kind of source. He didn’t know about elves, but humans definitely could get sick from that kind of thing. 

“Here.” Andromeda unhooked a small clear flask from her belt, handing Ezran the red liquid. Callum opened his mouth to say something. They didn’t drink-- “It’s moonberry juice. Only a little, but it should be enough for now.” 

She didn’t smile, but her voice was gentle. Callum closed his mouth as Ezran reluctantly took it. “Are you sure? What if you get thirsty?” 

“Don’t worry. I’m older than you. I can manage a while longer.” 

Ezran flashed her a small smile. “Thanks. We can share next time I find some juice.” 

“I would like that.” 

Callum closed his mouth as Ezran drank. So, it wasn’t blood. He looked ahead and caught Runaan looking back at them. Callum’s breath hitched. Elves couldn’t read minds, could they? 

“Andromeda, was that your last flask?” 

“It was my only flask,” she told him. “I left the rest back at the camp. We had no time to get everything.” 

At that, Callisto let out a sigh and ran a hand through his hair. Callum had a feeling none of them had anything to drink either. It was a shame the river wasn’t really drinkable. How could they be so close to a source of water and, yet, so thirsty? Maybe, if they became truly desperate it would be useful. 

“Callum.” 

“Yeah, Ez? What is it?” 

“Don’t we know this river?” Ezran stopped and cocked his head as he stared at the river, Bait croaking the same sentiment. 

Callum frowned. They’d been to many places in Katolis. Naturally, they knew this-- 

Callum stopped. Wait. _This_ river was close to… 

“Ez, you’re right.” Callum stepped out from the trees and looked up and down the river. The speed of the river, these rocks, the curve. He remembered all of this. “You’re _right_. This is the river that goes past the Banther Lodge!” 

“The what?” Ram raised a brow, helping Rayla walk with a shoulder. 

“The Banther Lodge. It’s a place we vacation to every year. It’s our winter lodge.” He ignored the pang in his heart that reminded him of the past winter he spent with his family there. The last time. “It has supplies, shelter, a place to rest. _It’s_ in the east. _Xadia’s_ in the east. We have to stop there.” 

Rayla narrowed her eyes. “What? Are you crazy? We don’t have time for that. We have to get this egg back to Xadia. Or did you forget?” 

“If we even _get_ to Xadia. Look at us, we’re all starving. We’re tired. We’re tired because we’re starving. And we can’t sleep. At this rate, if we run into any group of humans we won’t even have the energy to run.” 

“Right. And I’m sure we won’t run into _any_ humans at a _human lodge_ ,” Rayla drawled. 

“No, listen. Rayla, it’s the _winter lodge_ \--” 

“Oh, I’m sorry. I forgot. Humans in the summer are less violent and less likely to kill us. They’ll be _happy_ to have us.” 

Callum’s jaw tightened. “ _No_. That means it’s vacant in the summer. No winter. No humans around for miles. Besides, _you_ got kicked in the ribs by a guy at least twice your size. You need to rest so you can get better.” 

Rayla rolled her eyes. “Stop acting like you _care_ if I live or die.” 

Callum blinked. 

_Really?_

“ _What_ is your _problem?_ ” Callum snapped, taking a couple steps toward her. “Look, I know you don’t exactly know me and all. I even get that you don’t really trust me, but I _saved your life_. If it weren’t for me, _you_ would be dead right now. I gave Callisto the medicine that helped you! I know you can’t stand me, but can you at least work with me for _two seconds_ so maybe we can all try and get out of this alive? I’m not your enemy. I just want to get out of Katolis, get to Xadia and get away from the maniac that killed my father and wants to kill us. And, quite frankly, _you’re slowing us down because you can’t even walk on your own._ Can we do that?” 

When he was done, Callum had come face to face with Rayla and they glared at each other before Runaan stepped in. “That’s _enough_. Both of you. This is not the time.” 

Callisto sighed. He rubbed the bridge of his nose. “He has a point though.” They all looked at Callisto. “We have no supplies. Nothing to eat. And we’ve run out of anything to drink. If there are no humans at this Banther Lodge like the prince says then a hideout for a few days will do us more good then what we’re doing right now. And Rayla, he has the right of it. You’re _hurt_ and you’re not getting any better because your body isn’t getting the chance to actually rest and heal. You need sleep and real food. We _all_ do.” 

“We are at a disadvantage right now. And I’d be a liar if I said I wasn’t exhausted,” Skor said. 

“Me too,” Andromeda agreed. 

Ram only grunted. He’d been helping Rayla walk for the last few miles. 

They all looked at Runaan. It was no secret that Runaan had slept the least out of all of them in the last three days. Callum had to admit: the guy was no joke. It barely seemed to bother him. “You’re sure it’s empty this time of year?” Runaan asked. 

Callum nodded. “It has been since December. It should still have food and there are beds so Rayla can get a good night’s rest. All of us can. And we’re supposed to be going to Xadia, right? They won’t expect us to stop there.” 

“The lodge is pretty isolated,” Ezran added. “There aren’t even any towns really close by.” 

“Yeah, they built it like that,” Callum explained. “Since it was our lodge, they didn’t want just anybody to have access to it. It’s a safe place where we can get ourselves together.” 

Naturally, the elves all looked to Runaan for the final answer. He was quiet for a while, weighing the matter in his head. That much, Callum could see. There _were_ risks. It was possible that humans could come to the lodge, but he also knew that the risks of running into humans as they were _now_ was just as important to consider. 

“We will go to this lodge.” 

“Runaan-” Rayla started. 

“We’re not strong enough as we are,” Runaan told her firmly, but not unkindly. “We’re slow because we’re hungry, tired and you’re not able to walk on your own. You can’t go on like this all the way to Xadia.” 

Rayla stared at him for a minute, distress transfixing her eyes, but she nodded and looked down. Skor pursed his lips. “A few days is a lot of time for us.” 

“They aren’t negotiable. At this rate, if Katolis sends a force after us, the humans will gain on us with time to spare. We need to lay low until we’re strong enough to run without becoming a liability to ourselves.” Runaan looked at Callum. “Show us the way to this lodge.” 

And that was that. Callum caught the way Rayla glared at him as he turned to show them the way. “It’s this way. Not too far from here.” 

The Banther Lodge was a comfortable, sturdy cabin that resided in a private clearing, the river they’d been travelling along at it’s back. A bridge was built over the river, leading to a road that led into the woods. The lodge itself was made out of stone and wood, large tiled glass criss crossed by wooden poles. 

The lodge was large enough for quite a few people to live in. It was quaint. Very comfortable and complete with a chimney for the coldest of nights. If Callum hadn’t been a prince, he and Ezran would have been happy just to reside there, sometimes. They always hated leaving when the time came. There had always been something inherently tranquil and peaceful about the place. Returning to palace life always was quite a bit busier than life at the lodge. 

Insides, the stairs that led to the second floor were directly laid across from the main entrance, balancing the sturdy, wooden beams supporting the structure and centerpieced by the wooden moose head situated on top of the main entrance. A long dining table was set on the right and the chimney, resting area and bookshelves were on the left. Shields, sleds and skis decorated the walls. Callum nearly smiled. The skis and sleds had been their father’s touch. Two suits of armor stood at the top of the stairs at the foot of each second set of stairs lifting them to the upper floor. 

“Here it is,” Callum said more to himself than anyone else, taking in everything as if it were the first time. He caught himself and turned to the elves. “Bedrooms are on the second floor, first room on the right is the closest.” 

Callisto carried Rayla up the stairs as the elves took their turns looking around, then went down with Skor to look into the kitchen for food. Callum saw Skor pull out a probably stale, very hard loaf of bread. He spun it around like it was a weapon. He poked Callisto with it, who did not appreciate the gesture and smacked it away. The bread dropped to the ground with a considerable thud. 

Skor picked it up, brows raised. “I could bludgeon a man to death with this.” 

“Remember where it is then,” Callisto said dryly. 

Ram looked over Skor’s shoulder. “Is that what humans call bread?’ 

Skor shrugged. “I guess. Doesn’t seem very appetizing.” 

Callum made a face. “Well, bread is usually pretty soft. That one’s kind of old and stale which is why it’s so hard.” 

“Can you use it as a weapon, then?” The three elves all looked at him. 

“Uh…” Callum wasn’t completely sure how to answer that. “I… guess? If it’s hard enough.” 

Skor spun the bread again. “Hm. Versatile. Food and a weapon.” 

Callisto took the bread from Skor and looked it over. “Well, it’s going to have to be food right now. Ram, you think you can help find some ingredients to make a broth around here?” 

Ram nodded. “I thought I saw some wild vegetables around here.” 

Skor didn’t bother sticking around when Callisto and Ram left. Not that Callum expected him, too. Being stuck in a room with any of the elves one on one was a bit… uncomfortable. It wasn’t like they were the warmest of beings in the world. He wondered if all Moonshadow elves were this business like. Alone once more, he took the opportunity to feel the place around again. 

It felt like the first time and the last time. The wood felt the same under his fingers as he walked upstairs, feeling the railing just to hold onto something solid. The last few days still didn’t feel entirely real. Not at all right. 

He kept expecting his stepfather to come out of a room asking them if they want to go for a walk around the place or go fishing or maybe a ride on horseback. Callum was never the best on horseback. He wasn’t the best at anything, really. 

He shut his eyes as he got to the top of the stairs. He wasn’t good _anything_. Not at swordfight. At anything he could use to fight back. Here he was, having to rely on elves for protection. The very people who were actually sent to kill his father were now the ones he had to make a deal with so just maybe he and Ezran could be safe. The irony of that hadn’t been missed by Callum. 

He found his feet moving, but his mind wandering and he got to his stepfather’s room before he knew it. 

And open. 

In the room, standing at the foot of the bed, Ezran held Bait and just looked at the perfectly made bed, the russet colored sheets, the symbol of Katolis on a shield placed over the headboard. Bait croaked worriedly at Ezran, but he didn’t seem to notice. 

“Ez?” Callum took a step into the room, keeping his voice soft. “You okay?” 

Ezran didn’t answer immediately. “...I used to come in here when I was really little. Remember?” 

Callum tried to smile. “Yeah, I do. I’d go look for you in the morning and when you weren’t in your room, I’d know to come here and you’d be sleeping between them. Mom always held you so tight because she worried that you’d be cold in the night and get sick.” 

“Yeah… then you’d climb in for a hug and dad would lift us all out of bed. Remember how he taught us how to make blueberry pancakes?” 

“Oh, yeah,” Callum walked in and looked up at the walls. The dresser. He held onto the parts of his parents that were still with their sons in that room. A chuckle escaped his lips even as a lump formed in his throat. “I remember. I’d always get flour all over myself and you got to eat the leftover blueberries.” 

He remembered those mornings like they were yesterday and missed them with all the the light of the day. What he would give to go back to a time when he could just hug both of his parents and tell them how much he loved them. Even if it was just for one moment. _One_. 

It was all he asked for. 

Someone called for him downstairs. Ezran finally looked at Callum and seemed to attempt a smile. His first in the past few days. Callum put an arm around his little brother as they left the room and closed the door behind him. 

Callum let out a breath as he left the warmth of that room. 

While Ezran went to go explore a few of his toys he left behind in the last winter, Callum went into the kitchen to see who called him. Callisto had found a variety of greens and was currently chopping them with a dagger that did not look like it was for vegetable chopping. Near him, two pots of water were boiling. 

“Was that you who called me?” 

Callisto glanced up. “Yes. Do you know how to fish?” 

“Uh…” Callum rubbed the back of his neck. “Well?” 

“I’ll take that as a no. Skor will do it then. He might riot if he can’t sink his teeth into something and everybody could use the protein.” He dumped the chopped greens into the pot, turning to drop a few leaves into a cup and scooped some hot water into it. He paused, then grabbed a second cup out of the cupboard and did the same thing. 

He slid the a cup over toward Callum. Callum blinked. 

When he didn’t take it, Callisto looked at him over his cup. Oh. Callum realized it was supposed to be for him. He took the cup and sniffed it. 

“It’s peppermint.” Callisto explained over his tea. “I have a massive headache.” 

“Oh… thanks.” Callum took a sip and sure enough he could feel the tea soothe his senses. “So, uh… is it okay if I ask you a question?’ 

Callisto nodded. 

“Why is it that you don’t seem to hate my guts?” 

Callisto regarded him with tired eyes for a second. He blinked, then went back to his cup. “Call it a pity for things that obviously have no clue what they’re doing.” 

Callum wasn’t sure how much he liked being called a thing, but it was… a fair statement. The past few days had been a blur of just doing things he had never attempted before. Like the borderline suicidal attempt at angering a group of elven assassins. He was never going to do that one again. 

Gingerly, slowly, he asked, “Do you know how everyone else is, uh… feeling about me?” 

Callisto shrugged. “If you’re asking if we’re going to slit your throat in the middle of the night, the answer’s no, but you _are_ a human. I can imagine them being indifferent to you at best.” 

“And Ezran?” 

Callisto tapped a finger on his cup. He looked Callum for a moment, then took another sip. “He’s a child. Prince or not he has no power neither here nor there. He’s just at the mercy of your world. We recognize that. We were sent to kill him as a matter of honor, but it’s not something we looked forward to. The egg lives. That’s enough for us.” 

Callum let out a breath. So, they knew Ezran was innocent. Still, that last part didn’t totally sit right with him. “How is killing someone who didn’t do anything wrong honorable?” 

“You have your ways and we have ours. We wouldn’t be here if your father hadn’t killed the Dragon King.” 

“That doesn’t answer my question.” 

“Doesn’t it? You’re not too young to understand the ways of the world, Prince Callum. When a message is sent, what should be expected? A reply. With the Dragon King dead, that leaves Xadia open to human aggression. The King of Katolis, as the man behind it, had to take responsibility for that incident. With _him_ dead that leaves your kingdom in too much disarray to attack us. His only heir dead means said heir can’t retaliate with some justification.” 

Callum’s grip on his cup tightened. “Ezran would _never_ do that.” 

“You know your brother. The world does not. Nor do they know the advisors that would be whispering in his ears and really pulling the strings.” Callum immediately imagined Viren sitting at Ezran’s side. His stomach lurched. “Kingdoms have risen and fallen in the wake of princes left alive to avenge their fathers.” 

Callum still challenged him. “That’s not fair.” 

“It’s politics. It wasn’t designed to be fair.” 

Callum had no answer to that. He took a sip of his tea and changed the subject. “So, Runaan is your leader, right?” 

Callisto nodded. “That is correct.” 

“And what power does he have over you? What power do you have over each other?” 

Callisto snorted, smirking a little behind his cup. “Getting to know our hierarchy. Smart. Well, Callum, if you’d seen Runaan fight then you’d never question why again. We follow him because he has proven his leadership over and over again. As for the rest of us, we work as a team. I tend to take the lion’s share right behind Runaan, but otherwise, we all trust each other. That’s how it works.” 

Teamwork. That much he could see. They all seemed to have each other’s backs and, yet, weren’t afraid to question the other when it felt necessary. 

“So, if Runaan is your leader then why didn’t he just order you to kill us and take the egg? Especially after what happened at the camp.” Maybe he shouldn’t have been giving them ideas, but they didn’t seem to be considering his mortality anymore. “You would have accomplished your mission _and_ had the egg.” 

“I did say it was a job. It’s not a hobby. If we don’t _have_ to take a life then we’re not going to. Nobody’s going to kill you just because.” 

“Oh.” Callum frowned. “Well, that’s good. So, then, do you guys not really hate humans as much of people say you do? It’s almost like at least Runaan doesn’t seem to care about me either way.” 

“Oh, Runaan hates humans, but _you_ saved Rayla’s life. He’s not going to forget that easily.” Callisto finished his tea. “No matter how much he might want to.” 

-:-:-:- 

Andromeda found Runaan rubbing his eyes as he left Rayla’s room. “Asleep?” 

Runaan nodded. “She was asleep when I came by. Callisto’s making food. When she gets up, she can eat. The sooner she gets back on her feet the better.” 

“Good. Now, you can go rest as well.” 

“There are things to be done. We need to patrol the perimeter, decide what we can take in our resupply--” 

Andromeda put a hand on his shoulder. “All things that can be done by us or can be done later tonight. _After_ you sleep. Runaan, we need you at your best. And you’ve barely had a chance to rest. Rayla’s comfortable now. Go.” 

Runaan opened his mouth as if to argue, but closed it. She knew she’d won. “Wake me if Callisto needs me.” 

“Callisto was the one who told me to put you to sleep.” 

Runaan snorted. “If this is going to be the case, then what will you do now?” 

“I’m going to check the area out. See if there’s any human activity nearby. Then I’ll check on Prince Ezran. See how he might be since Callisto wanted to see if Prince Callum could help fish.” 

Runaan looked at her for a longer time than felt right. She sighed. “He’s a child, Runaan. A boy. Now, I’m going to tuck you in if you don’t go.” 

Runaan said nothing to the matter of Prince Ezran. “Please, don’t.” 

“Then _don’t_ make us tell you again.” She lightly shoved him the direction of the next bedroom and watched him until he went in. He sent her a meaningful glance. The matter about Ezran wasn’t over. She ignored it. When he left, she peeked in on Rayla. True to his word, Rayla was out like a candle in the day. 

Andromeda wasn’t going to step in the room lest Rayla woke up, but it seemed to be too late. Girl was as much of a light sleeper as Runaan was. “Rayla? Are you okay?” 

Rayla turned her head to look at her. “Andromeda? What’s wrong?” 

“Nothing. I’m just checking on you is all. I finally was able to get Runaan to sleep.” 

Rayla smiled a little at that, but it quickly faded into something that was quite unpleasant. “That’s good…” 

Andromeda walked to her side. “And you’re not. Go on, now. Tell me.” 

Rayla didn’t say anything for a long moment. Then, she said, “When I was in the castle. The high mage caught me and was going to kill me with his dark magic. He almost _did_. It was horrible.” Andromeda nodded. So that’s what happened. “And I saw all kinds of things he had in his little room… terrible, pitiful things that had died in jars… Runaan was right. Humans can’t be trusted. But then I come out and it turns out that human prince is the one that helped Callisto save me. How am I supposed to feel about that?” 

Andromeda gave her a little smile and sat on the bed. “You don’t seem to mind the young prince.” 

“Ezran? He’s a little kid. And he’s sweet. I don’t think he really counts. Kids don’t really ever count, right?” 

Andromeda nodded. “I agree. Even if everyone doesn’t. Children aren’t usually born with the ways of their people. They have to be taught. The young prince seems to show us no ill will. We ought not to with him.” 

“But the older prince… he’s right though. I was slowing us down. Ugh,” Rayla scoffed at herself in disgust. “Andromeda, I hate this.” 

“I know. Remember though, we didn’t stop only because of you. But don’t worry about that right now.” Andromeda told her. “You’re tired. Let yourself rest, Rayla. There will be food for you when you wake. Alright?” 

Rayla nodded still looking slightly miserable, then turned over in the bed. 

Andromeda made sure to close the door quietly on her way out. 

She went downstairs and found Prince Callum sitting on one of the chairs falling asleep. When he heard her come downstairs, he jumped up and stood at attention. What a skittish human. 

She put a hand up. He sagged when he realized it was just her. 

“Sorry. Guess I was falling asleep.” He glanced up the way Andromeda had come. “Is she okay? Rayla, I mean.” 

“She’s fast asleep.” Andromeda frowned. “Why do you ask about her so much?” 

He hunched his shoulders, his body tensing. Good. “I’m just making sure she’s okay. She was really hurt.” 

“And, yet, you throw it in her face that she’s hurt. Odd way of showing concern.” 

Callum rubbed his arm. “I wasn’t trying to-- I just-- I don’t understand why she seems to hate _me_ so much.” 

Andromeda sighed. “Rayla doesn’t trust you. And she’s right not to considering what you’ve shown her of you. Callisto is indifferent of you, but the rest of us aren’t. Then, you throw it in her face that you were the one who helped which, while true and appreciated, can be seen as an insult the way you’ve been shoving it in her face. In our culture, it can be seen as you making sure she knows that she owes you a debt. Believe me, she knows.” 

The way his face fell, he clearly hadn’t thought of that. “What? No- No, I never meant that. I just don’t want us to be at each other’s throats the whole time.” 

“Then don’t speak to her as if _she’s_ the liability. Have some respect for that.” 

Andromeda left the prince to find his brother, instead. 

-:-:-:- 

Callum had the rest of the afternoon to think about Andromeda’s words. 

Had he been throwing _that_ in Rayla’s face? 

It wasn’t like he wanted any kind of recognition or anything. He just… he just _really_ didn’t want to be fighting with her the entire time. It was already uncomfortable enough being the one everybody kind of didn’t know if they should like or not. Well, according to Callisto, Runaan himself hated humans. So, that put Callum in a precarious situation. 

Though he supposed he _did_ earn it. That trick had been a desperate one, but one where the elves mistrust wasn’t exactly going to be avoidable. And it didn’t really pay off in the end. 

He was grateful for the courtesy they showed Ezran. Whatever they felt for Callum, it didn’t translate over to Ezran. Callisto made sure he got food. And, for some reason, Andromeda was always somewhere near him. He didn’t mind. There was something… genuine about her actions. Her words. 

Maybe that’s why what she said to him about Rayla stuck in his head all day. Dinner came and Callisto had made a vegetable stew with fish and bread softened by broth. Considering what they had to work with, Callum was impressed. 

The elves sat around the chimney, a fire lit for warmth as they ate. They debated about the use of the chimney at all, but decided that there was no real human activity for miles after their patrols today. Callum and Ezran ate on the bench behind them. Callisto was the last to come in, carrying two bowls and heading up the stairs. 

Callum jumped to his feet, leaving his food and caught Callisto before he started to climb the stairs. “Uh, hey. I was wondering… do you think I could bring that to her?” 

Callisto raised his brows, but handed him the bowl after a moment. “Alright, then. Knock yourself out. Make sure she doesn’t.” 

“She’s still kind of bedridden though...isn’t she?” Callum asked. 

“I have a feeling Rayla bedridden could still knock you out.” 

Callum opened his mouth to reply, then closed it. Okay, that was fair. 

He walked upstairs. 

-:-:-:- 

Runaan watched Callum go upstairs and into Rayla’s room. He went back to eating his stew. 

Andromeda frowned. “Where is he going?” 

Callisto sat with them. “To give Rayla her food.” 

At that, Andromeda immediately started getting up. “We should follow him, then.” 

“For what? What’s he going to do?” 

“What if he poisons her?” 

Callisto actually put down his bowl and made a face. “You really think that boy has the _balls_ to poison an assassin in a house full of _other_ assassins? You _really_ think he’s that stupid?” 

“Callum wouldn’t do that,” Prince Ezran said to Andromeda. “He’d never hurt someone like that. He probably just wants him and Rayla to get along and stop fighting.” 

Andromeda looked at Ezran, no longer moving to get up, but still not entirely convinced. Runaan saw that look on her face. “Leave them, Andromeda.” 

“Runaan--” 

“Let them make peace. If they continue to argue, their fighting could prove to be a problem for us in the future.” 

“Besides,” Ram started, finishing his mouthful of food. “If he did anything to Rayla it’s not like we can’t just kill him for it.” 

Ezran choked. Andromeda kicked Ram, then got up to hit Ezan on the back. “Ram!” 

Ram winced. “Sorry, sorry. I mean, like you said, your brother’s not going to do anything like that. So, nothing to worry about.” 

“It _is_ the truth though,” Skor said in between bites. “That’s what we’d do. Either way, problem solved.” 

Callisto heaved a heavy sigh. “I’m going to need more tea.” 

Runaan seconded that. “Make a cup for me.” 

-:-:-:- 

Callum knocked on the door and opened it when she gave permission. 

“What’d you make--” Rayla turned, realized it was him and rolled right back over. A reaction he expected. Deserved even. 

“I, uh…” Callum rubbed his neck. “I brought you your dinner.” 

Wow, how was he going to do this? This had instantly become awkward. She didn’t answer him. He didn’t respond to the silence. 

“Just leave it,” she said. “I’ll eat it later.” 

Callum put the bowl of stew on the nightstand. They stayed in silence like that for a little while until he could figure out what to _say_ exactly. He’d never been good with words, either. Not really. He sighed. He didn’t exactly have much to lose. 

Here went nothing. 

“Rayla, I need to apologize to you. I haven’t been fair. I’ve been… well, I’ve been kind of a jerk.” He hunched his shoulders. “When I said that stuff about saving your life? I didn’t say it to upset you. I only said it because I don’t want you to think I’m your enemy this whole time. But I was wrong for saying it how I did. I shouldn’t have said it at all, really. I was disrespectful to you. And… I’m sorry about that.” 

Well, she didn’t immediately lash out at him. That was a nice sign. But she didn’t turn around to look at him or take her food. 

He let his shoulders sag. He said what he had to say. Hopefully, she could see that he was genuine. 

Then, just as he was leaving the room, Callum heard her voice. 

“Thanks.” 

He closed the door behind him, leaving her to her peace. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, lots of interaction this chapter. This chapter actually got split up in two because I was going to finish this little "arc" all in one, but then the chapter was just getting long and it felt like I would be rushing it if I tried to finish it all in one chapter. This had a lot of new interactions in it and sides of the gang that we get to see. I really enjoyed writing Callum and Callisto's talk. I'd really love to hear from you guys about it. 
> 
> Please consider commenting! I really enjoy reading them and they make my day to see! It lets me know that people want me to keep going with this story and are enjoying it (or anything else you might have to say, of course). Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	6. Good Men

The next morning, Rayla was able to get out of bed. Callum was actually really impressed, but Callisto only commented on what a good night’s sleep and actual nutrition could do for a healing elf. 

Callum took his word for it. Though she still apparently had to take it easy. 

She was put to work fishing with Skor though it was apparent that fishing wasn’t exactly her calling. Rayla was careful, but a bit impatient. Definitely more of a go-getter than one who kind of seemed to enjoy the peace that fishing could bring like Skor did. After about half an hour of sighing loudly, Skor sent her inside to go help find supplies. He muttered something about young people not knowing how to appreciate peace. 

Callum, meanwhile, had been sketching the river from a spot he and his parents used to sit at for a picnic. He sat there for a minute after he was finished, letting the scene burn into his mind before he went inside. 

Inside he had… expected it. Really, he had. But it still was a bit uncomfortable watching everyone rifle through his family’s personal belongings. Albeit, they did it respectfully and seemed to put anything they didn’t need back with care. 

“There are tents in this box. All in good condition. We need these pretty bad,” Ram said over a box he’d pulled out one of the storage rooms. 

“Put those aside, then. We’ll store them once we find bags to put them in.” Callisto looked back at Callum. 

“It’s fine,” Callum assured them.”Find what you need. Just… please be careful with some of the things. It’s all I really ask.” 

Callisto nodded. “You have our word.” 

Callum turned to go upstairs. He was pretty sure there were some packs in the old game room. Or maybe it was the closet… 

Something collided with him, knocking him right onto his butt so hard his sketchbook actually unlatched from his bag. He rubbed his head. Well, that hurt. He opened his eyes and stopped dead looking at Rayla stifling a groan and rubbing her ribs. 

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t see you, I swear,” he explained, but Rayla was already getting up. 

She offered him a hand. 

“It’s fine.” Callum blinked. She waited. He took her hand, allowing her to help him back onto his feet. Then, she bent down to pick up his sketchbook. “I didn’t see you coming up.” 

“Yeah, I wasn’t exactly watching where I was going, either.” 

She saw a few pages in his sketchbook. “Are these yours?” 

“Oh, yeah. I draw sometimes,” Callum shrugged awkwardly. He tried to grin. “It’s the one thing I’m not terrible at.” 

She handed it back to him. “You’re good.” 

“Oh, uh,” he said, latching the book back onto his bag. “Thanks.” 

She nodded albeit a bit awkwardly, but there was no sign of animosity toward him anywhere in her eyes. Hm. Her eyes were a kind of light purple. He thought they were darker than that. 

He smiled at her. It probably looked a bit painful because her attempt looked the same. She turned away from him when Callisto asked her what she was doing in the house. “Skor sent me back. I was bothering him.” 

“Were you sighing?” Runaan asked her, looking over a chest Callisto was opening. 

“Not _that_ loudly,” she said, her mouth twisting just a little bit. “Just let me _do_ something. You can put me to work.” 

“Fishing is work.” 

Now, she looked like Runaan crossing her arms. He looked at her when she didn’t answer. A stalled second later, he went back to what he was doing. “Go start pulling things out of the storage room. It’s in the back.” 

Rayla actually grinned, satisfied with her small victory. As she left, Callisto said, “If you lift anything too heavy I’m stuffing you in one of these boxes.” 

“You’d have to catch me first.” 

That made Callisto actually look up at the door she left through, then at Runaan. “You hear that? That’s your fault. You encouraged that.” 

Runaan raised his brows, but said nothing. For the next half hour, they rifled through boxes and cabinets and any kind of storage space all over the house. The one space he asked them not to go into was his parent’s bedroom. Not only was there nothing there, but it was the one place Callum really wanted left untouched. Perhaps, because it was the one room Callum could go into and feel like he had gone back in the past. Thankfully, the elves had no qualms with that. They agreed to respect his wishes. 

Then, Rayla came in with a box that made his heart drop and he didn’t know why. He didn’t know what was in it, but something shifted in him when he saw it. In the last ten minutes Ezran had come downstairs, playing with Bait in front of the fireplace and helping Andromeda with a chest full of clothes she had found. 

Rayla opened the box. “Hey, there’s a bunch of scarves in here. Could we use these?” 

Callum didn’t see, but he knew the instant she said that. His stepfather’s scarves. Old ones he had stored away for the next winter they were to be there. There had always been a few things they left behind. Maybe to keep a piece of themselves here at all times. He wasn’t sure. 

Ezran stopped playing with his toys. He got up and walked up to the box as Rayla left it. From the other side of the room, Callum watched him. He watched his little brother pick up the scarf and just stare at it. For a very long moment, he looked over the scarf. 

And then he cried. 

And then he cried louder. 

He clutched the scarf to himself and bent his head lower as the tears fell, sliding down his face. Callum got up immediately. “Ez--” 

“ _I didn’t even get to say goodbye_ ,” Ezran sobbed. 

The entire room went quiet and all the elves turned to him as he sniffed, shaking with sobs. Before Callum could even cross the room, Ezran pushed past him and ran up the stairs. Callum watched him go. 

The room was dead silent, no one moving after they watched him go. Rayla looked like a deer caught in the forest. “I’m _so_ sorry. I didn’t mean to upset him. I’ll put it back.” 

“No, it’s fine,” Callum assured her, then looked back up the stairs. “This was actually kind of a good thing…” 

-:-:-:- 

Callum went to Ezran’s room. It was empty. 

He went to his parents bedroom. 

Ezran was sitting on the bed, sniffling over his father’s red scarf. It was so much like the one Callum kept around his neck, but it was void of the elaborate Katolis symbolage. This scarf was more plain. Less for a king and more for a father who simply wanted to be with his family. 

Callum didn’t say anything as he sat down on the bed next to him. He waited for Ezran to speak. 

Minutes went by. Ezran finally said through his tears, “I didn’t get to say goodbye. I didn’t even get to see him or tell him I love him. And I’m sorry for always taking jelly tarts when I’m not supposed to. And just--” 

He broke into tears again. Bait turned blue. Callum put an arm around him. “I know, buddy. I know. I…” 

Callum’s eyes stung as the words wouldn’t come out of his heart. How he hadn’t been able to do anything. 

“Callum what are we even going to do now? We can’t go back home.” 

“I don’t know. I… I don’t have an answer for that. What I _do_ know is that we’re going to be okay. No matter what. No matter what happens, I am going to make sure that we end up okay.” Callum wiped his tears. “They’re watching over us. I know it. And, for the record? He wanted you to have those jelly tarts.” 

Through his tears, through his hiccups, Ezran smiled a little. Then, he laughed a little. 

And Callum knew he was going to be able to keep his promise. 

At the very least, he had hope. 

-:-:-:- 

“Well… I feel… terrible.” Ram cringed. 

“Don’t start that,” Callisto said even if his tone wasn’t as firm. “You know we didn’t have a choice.” 

“I know… I still feel bad.” 

Rayla felt how Ram looked. She _really_ hadn’t meant to upset Ezran. He was sweet and had kept coming in to keep her company with his ...frog. Whatever it was. Even if the little monster didn’t seem to care for her. In fact, it seemed downright annoyed with her as if _she_ were some strange creature. 

“Rayla, you didn’t mean it,” Andromeda told her. 

“I _know_. But… still. He was so upset and, you know, we kind of don’t help the situation.” 

“We’re assassins,” Runaan said somewhat softly. “This is our job. Normally, we’re just not around for this part.” 

Rayla sighed, she looked up at Andromeda. “Do you think we should… check on them?” 

“No,” Runaan said. 

“I think so,” Andromeda replied. 

Runaan turned to her and Rayla knew to take a couple steps from between them. “We _do not_ get involved in these types of things. It’s not our place. And it _certainly_ isn’t yours. We’re not discussing this.” 

“Good. Then, we won’t.” 

She climbed the stairs to the second floor. Runaan glared after her, snorting irritably. He yanked a box open and started going through it. Callisto only shook his head. “I told you. Women are stubborn.” 

“ _Hey_ , I’m standing right here.” Rayla tossed an old stuffed animal at his head. He caught it. 

-:-:-:- 

Just as they were leaving the room, Callum and Ezran ran into Andromeda. 

“Oh, young prince, I just wanted to see if everything was okay,” Andromeda’s voice as gentle. 

Ezran nodded, flashing her a smile. “I’m… fine. I guess. I’ll be alright.” 

For the first time, Callum saw Andromeda smile. Though it was a short one. “Come. Would you like to continue helping? I’d love to hear about the stories behind these things you humans keep.” 

Callum didn’t say anything. He didn’t mind. As long as Ezran was comfortable with her, then Callum was fine with it, too. Whatever Andromeda’s reason for her kindness to Ezran was, he was grateful for it. “Sure,” said Ezran, joining her side. “By the way, you can just call me Ezran.” 

“Thank you, Ezran. I wasn’t sure if you wanted me to use your name.” 

Ezran shrugged as they went downstairs. “It’s fine. I like it when people use my name.” 

Downstairs, Rayla looked doubtful if she should, but she walked up to Ezran and apologized. “I didn’t mean to upset you. Are you alright?” 

Ezran opened his mouth to speak, but then he closed it. The answer wasn’t quite yes, but… he also smiled at her a little. Rayla returned. Ezran shook his head. “It wasn’t your fault, Rayla. Not… really?” 

Her smile faltered. “Oh… yeah. That. I’m sorry about that, too. I really am.” 

The room went quiet again. Then, in an act Callum certainly didn’t think he would see -- and, apparently, neither did Rayla considering her face -- Runaan walked over to them and got on one knee to level with Ezran. “From what I do know about your people, your father was considered a good man.” 

Ezran’s brows furrowed, but, kind as he was, he considered Runaan’s words. Calmly, he asked, “Then, why would you try to kill him?’ 

Callum had asked Callisto the same thing, essentially. He still wasn’t sure if the answer satisfied him. 

“It is difficult for good men to be good kings. I cannot give you an answer that will comfort your heart. Not the way you want, but I can give you the truth. Your father’s name was on actions that forced our hand. That is why we sought his life. And yours. It is something we would never have done outside of such circumstances. I hope you can accept that. And I am sorry that it came to this.” 

Ezran looked at Runaan for a solemn time, then nodded. “I appreciate that.” 

Runaan stood. A curt, but direct nod in return to Ezran, then, he went back to the business of sifting through boxes for supplies. Ezran stood in the same place, looking around and Callum swore a small weight seemed to lift from his shoulders. He didn’t know exactly what that exchange was all about, but whatever it was Ezran had needed some of it. 

Ezran went back to helping Andromeda and Callum caught Rayla’s eye. He sent her a small smile, not waiting to see if she would do the same back. 

He went back outside to sketch and appreciate the momentary peace. 

-:-:-:- 

The night was clear. 

Thank goodness. Rayla knew she shouldn’t have been out of bed, but… 

“ _Do you think you can escape me, elf? Run, but I will find you.”_

Rayla shook her head, closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She held it. 

She exhaled it and her limbs went weak. 

How long was that going to go through her head? How long was that voice going to invade her mind? Now that she wasn’t dead tired, the dreams started up. Well, nightmares. There was nothing nice about them. 

Waking up sweating and gasping also left her shaking even as she got out of bed. She’d moved along the large wooden beams and out a window to sit on the roof under the stars. The moon. It made her feel slightly more at home in her own skin. 

At least, Ram was the one on watch tonight. If he caught Rayla out here he wouldn’t immediately report it to Callisto who would, on top of being aggravated because he was woken up, might shackle Rayla to her bed without an explanation. But she hadn’t even really told Runaan about her nightmares \-- although he probably suspected something -- and she wasn’t about to explain them to anybody else if she could help it. 

That would mean admitting those fears and she wasn’t sure she was ready to do that. In fact, she wasn’t sure if she’d ever be ready. 

“Oh, I didn’t know you’d be up here. Sorry.” 

Rayla twisted. Callum was halfway through climbing up to the roof. He was going back down, but she stopped him. “No. No, it’s fine. How did you get up here?” 

“There’s a ladder around back,” he said, jerking his thumb behind him. 

“Oh.” 

Callum secured himself a spot some ways from her. He looked up at the sky. For a while they just sat there in silence and it wasn’t… so bad. From the look in his eyes, he was lost in his own thoughts as well. 

Now, alone with this fumbling human prince, Rayla could feel that one annoying thing that had been tugging at her all day ever since she ran into him on the stairs. 

“Hey. I just wanted to say, uh…” He looked at her, not having expected her to say anything apparently. She sighed. “Thank you. For saving me, I mean.” 

Callum shook his head. “Hey, don’t mention it, remember? I shouldn’t have been throwing that in your face. I didn’t realize what that meant in your culture.” 

“It’s fine. I mean it. You didn’t have to give Callisto that medecine.” Knees drawn up to their chests, they matched postures and Rayla actually smiled at him. “I _do_ owe you my life.” 

“I think the slate is already clear,” he said softly and looked right at her. The green of his eyes were also soft, but his gaze was firm. “Thank you for saving _our_ lives. We wouldn’t even be here without you. You definitely did that. And… _thank you_ for thinking of Ezran. You could have just taken the egg, but you took him, too, and I don’t know how I can even repay you for that.” 

Rayla raised her brows, but she cleared her throat. “Oh, that? He’s a good kid. He didn’t need to be there.” 

Callum nodded. “Yeah. But I’m really glad he was spared from that.” 

“Yeah... and I guess while we’re talking…?” Rayla pursed her lips a bit. She kept his gaze despite her instinct to look away. “I’m sorry about your father. I know that it’s odd coming from me since we were sent to kill him and all, but… he didn’t deserve to die the way he did.” 

For his credit, he didn’t look away either. His subsequent smile was sad and small, but it was there. His voice was nearly a whisper. “I appreciate that.” He sighed and looked back up at the sky. “Guess neither of us thought we’d be here, huh?” 

Rayla chuckled a bit. “Not even close.” 

She was glad to hear him laugh a little as well. “You know, if you’d told me that I would be on the rooftop of my family’s winter lodge in the spring with a team of assassins on the way to Xadia with the egg of the Dragon Prince I might have told you to ease up on the moonberry juice.” 

Rayla snorted. “Tell me about it. No offense, but I really just want to get home. Your human lands are… really exhausting.” 

“Honestly? I’m human and I agree with you.” 

Her mouth twisted. “It… yeah, it hasn’t been the best experience…” 

She bit her tongue. She’d said too much. 

When he didn’t answer her immediately, she looked at him. His eyes were narrowed, looking at something on the ground. The river. She didn’t know. “Rayla, I’m sorry about whatever happened in that castle.” Her body tensed. She sucked in a breath. It must have been a bit loud. “You don’t have to tell me. But I know humans haven’t given you the best impression.” 

She made a face, her brows knitted together. 

“Yeah… I have to be honest. Humans aren’t my favorite things in the world right now, but…” Her lips curved. Just a little bit, a faintness to it. “You’re not the worst human.” 

She was pretty sure she had met _that one_ , anyway. 

Callum let out some grindy noise that sounded something like a laugh. “Thanks. That means a lot right now.” 

They both went back to looking at the sky, the air feeling better on her skin than it had when she came out. It was nice. “It means a lot to me, too.” 

She felt him look at her, but they both left the silence in peace between them. 

-:-:-:- 

The Valley of Graves was expansive, grey and overall chilling if not somewhat reverent. It was a place of peace. A place to honor the monarchs that ruled. 

And a place Ilias did _not_ want to bother Lord Viren. 

But the man had asked for his servant. Ilias usually was off doing whatever Lord Viren bid with his lips tight and his feet quick and quiet. It wasn’t the first time. He doubted it would be the last. Ilias waited for Lord Viren to notice him. He dare not disturb him at King Harrow’s newly erected gravesite. 

“You do know why I’ve asked you to come here?” Lord Viren didn’t turn around. “Right?” 

“Because the princes haven’t been found, my lord?” 

“Correct. We need to fix that.” 

“Shall I send out a search part--” 

“No. I don’t want a search party.” Lord Viren’s voice was as cold as the grey sky. And yet, it lilted as if to delight. Appeal. “Ilias, you and I have worked together for many years. You and I both know that a search party is not what I’m looking for. We must… _fix_ the situation with our dear princes. Don’t you think?” 

Oh. 

Ilias nodded numbly. “Whatever pleases, my lord. What did you have in mind?” 

Lord Viren finally turned, a simple smile over his lips. “Summon Morgan.” 

Ilias eyes widened. “But… with respect, my lord, doesn’t he have… _her_ with him?” 

“Yes, he does. And they make the kind of team I need right now.” Lord Viren walked away from King Harrow’s grave. “A deadly one. Now, be a good man and make sure that message only passes through the usual hands and nobody else. I’d hate for you to disappear.” 

Ilias bones chilled. He was only in his twenties, but he suddenly felt eighty years older and just as frail. “Of course, my lord. I’ll summon them with haste.” 

Ilias scampered away as soon as Lord Viren dismissed him. 

Morgan. And… and _her_. 

Ilias shuddered. 

-:-:-:- 

Callum woke to the sound of clanging metal. When he looked out his window, Rayla was leaping in and out Runaan’s path. 

He rubbed his eyes. She was _sparring?_

Already? Did elves heal that fast? 

After getting ready for the day, Callum went downstairs and into the back to stand next to a supervising Callisto. 

“Easy does it Rayla.” 

Like a responsible supposedly still healing person, Rayla did a few backflips then charged at Runaan. 

Callisto sighed. “Why do I even bother? She’s just like _him_.” 

The _he_ Callisto was referring to blocked Rayla’s charge just as fast as she had come at him. Rayla and Runaan were fluid, each working off the other and practically predicting each other’s movement. Granted, Rayla always seemed just a touch behind Runaan. They must have done this a lot, then. 

“Wow, she looks a lot better.” Callum followed them back and forth. “She heals really fast.” 

“Rayla pretty much forces herself to heal out of sheer stubborness,” Callisto scoffed. “And spite.” 

“She’s really good,” Ezran said in awe. He’d gotten up even earlier than Callum and was actually put to work making breakfast with Andromeda. That was a good sign as far as Callum was concerned. It made the day seem a little brighter than yesterday, at least. 

“She ought to be. She’s been training since she was a child.” 

Callum watched her flip and leap in ways he knew he never would like… like it was _nothing_ to her. It was as easy as breathing. She met Runaan blade for blade as her swords were extensions of herself. “Wow…” 

Runaan separated, attaching his swords back into a bow. Rayla followed suit by sheathing her own. “That’s enough for the morning. Ram and Andromeda are probably finished with breakfast.” 

“It’s ready!” Ram called from inside. 

“Let me guess,” Rayla rolled playful eyes. “It’s fish and vegetables.” 

“Those fish and vegetables are healthy for you. You need to eat it,” Runaan said. “It’s why you’ve recovered so well.” 

“I know. I wasn’t complaining about it.” Rayla absently rubbed her ribs. “It was kind of lucky for me that my ribs were just bruised, huh?” 

“Very lucky,” Callisto pointed out. “He kicked you point blank. You could have died.” 

“Thanks, Callisto.” 

“Those are the facts. You aren’t invincible, Rayla.” 

They sat down at the dining table. It was probably the most civil, normal anything that Callum had experienced in the past few days. Runaan skirted the head of the table, sitting across from Rayla. Callum on her side, Ezran between them. “He’s right, Rayla. This was your first mission and while it didn’t go as planned, you now see what can happen. Do you understand?” 

Rayla sobered with his every word. She nodded. 

“You can get hurt on missions,” Skor chimed in. “You can die on missions. _Other_ people can die on missions. You need to be able to come to terms with that. That’s also why trust in the team is important.” 

“Yes. Without trust, a team is doomed to fail,” Andromeda added. “You must rely on one another.” 

“But you also can’t let your feelings get in the way. They don’t send us out for nothing.” Ram said. “We’re sent out on missions for important reasons. You can really care for your teammates, but have to keep going if they fall and it’s too late. And it hurts. But reality hurts sometimes. It can be very unpleasant, sometimes. When we choose to do this job we choose to accept that.” 

“Listen to them, Rayla.” Runaan agreed. “These are all things we have experienced. Nothing says that facing them will be easy. You will struggle. All of us struggle with something in our lives that makes us uncertain of ourselves. That’s a part of life. This is a part of ours.” 

“I understand.” Rayla nodded again. 

“I think you’ll be fine.” Ezran said. They all looked at him, Rayla more surprised than anyone. “I know that’s _really_ weird coming from me, but you saved everyone’s lives. Including mine. I think that counts for something.” 

Rayla blinked. “Oh, uh...thanks, Ezran. I… don’t know what to say.” 

Ezran flashed her a smile, then went back to his food. The conversation grinded, then moved on from there, the elves discussing what supplies they were prioritizing and what routes they could take that would get them there fast. 

Then, all at once, they all winced in near unison and looked at their wrists. 

“What’s wrong?” Callum asked. 

He looked at Rayla rubbing her wrist. She frowned. “It’s starting.” 

“What’s started?” 

The pause that sat between them all didn’t bode well for his answer. It was Callisto who broke the silence. “When we go on a mission, there are times in which we perform a binding ritual.” He showed Callum the ribbon on his wrist. “It binds us to our duty. The night we came to Katolis, we bound ourselves to the lives of King Harrow and Prince Ezran. King Harrow is dead. So, one fell off. But Prince Ezran is alive. So, this one remains.” 

Runaan continued. “So long as Prince Ezran lives, the binding will continue to tighten until we can no longer feel our hands. Then, it will fall off once it’s completely dead to our bodies.” 

“That’s…” Callum breathed. “That’s horrible.” 

It would just _fall off?_ The idea of any of his body parts falling off of him was too grotesque to imagine. What if it rotted before it fell off? Would it? 

“It’s the risk we took,” Andromeda said, looking at her wrist. “There’s a possibility that the Dragon Queen can have them removed, but… if not, then we chose this.” 

Callum looked at his brother, something slithering into his heart. Would they change their minds about protecting Ezran? 

“No harm will come to you or your brother,” Skor said. “The night we met you, we chose to do this. We’re not exactly happy about the idea of losing our hands, but we will honor our deal.” 

“A life for a life,” Runaan told them. “Your people did not destroy the egg even if your high mage did steal it. We have no need to enact justice for a deed that was not committed.” 

Relief took hold of Callum. And a small amount of horror. So… if they didn’t get back to Xadia in time then they might all lose a hand. Even then, there was no certainty that they wouldn’t anyway. Callum shook his head. He glanced at Rayla, looking at her binding. 

And she was expected to this kind of thing again. If she lost her hand, would she still be expected to go out on missions? If she didn’t lose her hand, she still would. A week ago, he might have wondered why she would choose to do this. A part of him still did. After all, she seemed to be right at Callum’s age. 

Then, he thought of Viren. He thought of his stepfather. 

And he had a sense of understanding about the matter that he couldn’t quite put in words. 

-:-:-:- 

The morning came and went, the elves preparing for a long journey to Xadia with a bit more haste than they had the day before. After lunch, Ezran accompanied Ram in making sure the egg was okay. Every night, the egg rotated a room to prevent it from always being in the same place. Tonight, it was with Skor. Callum had seen Skor spar with Callisto. That egg was safe. 

If nothing else, the elves were _always_ prepared or in the midst of being prepared for something. That, he definitely could admit. In the meantime, Callum found himself outside looking over a book of magic that he’d nabbed from Lord Viren’s lair: _Tome of Runes_. It had no author and, quite frankly the book looked like it’d been buried somewhere, but it had a lot of interesting information in it including the _aspiro_ spell he’d seen Claudia do. There were a few runes he tried to keep in mind. 

_Fulminis_ . Lightning did sounded interesting. _Pluvium_. Never knew when rain on command might be useful... 

He’d taken his bag out with him, keeping himself occupied by organizing its contents and preparing for the trip in his own way. 

He was going to need to stock up on a few things himself. Should he get a weapon, too? Perhaps a knife would be in order. 

Digging in the bag, Callum felt the rumbling, smooth glass of the primal stone inside. He hadn’t taken it out since meeting the elves. He hadn’t dared. 

He still shouldn’t have dared. 

But he was curious. Looking over his shoulder to make sure nobody was coming, he slowly pulled the primal stone out of its hiding place. The glass was warm and cold at the same time. Inside, a storm thundered and crackled, contained to the palm of his hand. An entire storm. 

And he was just _holding it_. 

Granted, he’d never be able to use it, but holding it was still definitely something. He couldn’t imagine what it actually felt like to have an actual storm course through his veins and escape his fingers as actual _magic_. The closest he would ever get to that was drawing it in all its glory. So, he began doing just that, trying to capture the magic of the bottled clouds and thunder all for his own observation. 

Something rustled in the bushes. 

Callum nearly threw the primal stone back into the bag, but he froze. There were eyes in the bush. Luminescent, glowing eyes. 

The mountain lion that must have been stalking him slowly edged out of the bush. Toward him. Callum got up as slowly as he could. He dared not shout. He dared not move too suddenly. He’d _completely_ forgotten that mountain lions were known to pass through this area. The family guards had always patrolled the forested areas around the cabin for that very reason. It wasn’t often, but one would be spotted every now and again. Mountain lions. _How_ had he forgotten about mountain lions? 

“Easy…” Callum sucked in his breath. “Down, kitty…?” 

The lion stilled. Still. Still as death itself. 

Callum raised a finger. 

The lion pounced. 

Callum yelped, leaping out of the way, the lion sliding past him so closely that he felt the weight of the air whoosh past him. He twisted to face the thing and his fingers moved faster than his brain could give the command. The air glowed. 

Could he do this? 

His mouth ignored his doubts. 

Could he even _do_ this? 

He sucked in a deep breath. The lion launched itself at him. 

“ _Aspiro!”_

A great gust of wind escaped Callum’s lungs and met the lion with a force strong enough to knock it back a couple a few feet with a yowl. No time to blink. No time to wonder _how_ that had happened. The lion was getting up and, furious, itran back at him. Could he make it back inside _without_ letting it the house? 

Damn it, Callum tried. He ran. He yanked open the backdoor. 

And Rayla whipped past him, unsheathing her blades mid-surge. 

Callum _heard_ the lion fall before he saw it. He twisted on his heel, the lion was lying a foot away from him, a pool of blood growing from its sliced open neck. Standing over it, Rayla poked it with a blade cautiously. 

“Rayla…” Her name was all he could say. 

“You alright?” she asked. 

It took him a moment, but Callum nodded. “Yeah…” 

She frowned at him, not quite having put her swords away. “So, when were you going to tell us you were a mage?” 

Callum blinked. “A mage? I’m… not a mage. I’m not anything like that.” 

“You have a primal stone. Which are incredibly rare, by the way,” She pointed at his hand with a sword. “You just did magic. I heard you use a spell. You look like a mage to me.” 

Oh no. He hadn’t had a chance to put the primal stone awa-- wait. Did he just do magic? Callum looked at the primal stone in his hand. “I… just did magic…” 

“Did you not know?” 

He looked up at her, nothing to say to that. 

“If you didn’t think you were a mage, then why didn’t you tell us you had a primal stone?” 

“I didn’t want you to think I was a mage and feel threatened.” 

“But you _are_ a mage.” 

“But I just found that out,” Callum argued. He looked at the primal stone, then at Rayla. He repeated it to himself more than anyone, “I’m a mage… I’m a _mage_... _I’m a mage!?”_

Rayla sheathed her swords, then put a hand over Callum’s mouth. He talked against her hand. 

“Don’t go shouting it like that! Loud mages get themselves killed! Ugh,” Rayla rolled her eyes. ”We should go tell Runaan. Right now. It’s going to look bad for you if he finds out for himself later on.” 

“Wait, so… you guys _aren’t_ threatened by me having magic?” 

“I mean… you almost got killed by a mountain lion and you had magic. I don’t think they’re expecting much.” 

“That was my _first time_ though.” 

-:-:-:- 

Callum and Rayla explained the situation to the others insides, specifically Runaan and Callisto. 

“And that’s what happened.,” Callum finished his story. “I swear I wasn’t hiding anything because I was going to betray you later. I just realized it could make me seem more threatening than I really am.” 

Runaan regarded Callum with a calculating eye. It was uncomfortable to be under at best. 

“I think he’s telling the truth. I had to save him from a mountain lion.” 

Callum made a face. “Hey, I wasn’t prepared for that! I didn’t have time to react and it’s not like I knew I was a mage!” 

Rayla shrugged. She looked at Runaan. “What are you thinking?” 

Runaan was frowning at Callum. “Is there _anything else_ you decided not to tell us?” 

Callum shook his head. 

“Very well. If there’s anything else, I expect to be told. I don’t have too many more of these passes for you. This time, it will slide. Understood?” 

A tight nerve let go in Callum’s chest. “Yes, sir.” 

“Good.” 

“Callum I can’t believe you’re a mage,” Ezran said, staring at the primal stone in Callum’s hands. Bait croaked in agreement. 

“Neither can I,” Callum said. “I had no clue. All these years, I could have been doing magic and I didn’t even know I _was_ a mage.” 

It was… a little exciting, actually. The tingle in his fingers that he felt when he drew that rune, the rush, literal or otherwise, when he performed that spell. All of that… there was a sense of hope inside of all of that. Hope for the hopeless, perhaps. 

“Since it’s clear that you’ve never delved into anything that has to do with magic,” Runaan said, crossing his arms. “Callisto will give you a basic rundown of runes for caution’s sake.” 

Callum looked up at Callisto. “You know about runes?” 

Callisto nodded. 

“Wow,” Callum said, admittedly a little astonished. “You’re an assassin, you cook, you fight, you know about runes. You sure do know a lot.” 

“I’ve been on a my own for a long time. You pick up a few things.” Callisto shrugged. “Take a break. I need to put Skor on watching dinner without ruining the entire pot. Stars know he’s useless with fire and food unless it’s on a stick around a campfire.” 

Rayla snickered behind her hand. 

“That means you’re on fishing duty, Rayla.” 

The way Rayla’s mouth fell open made it clear she regretted that snicker, but said nothing to the matter otherwise, her body language doing all the talking for her as she dragged herself in Callisto’s wake. 

There was a brief shower through the afternoon. 

The rain came and went, enough to wet the ground, but that didn’t stop the elves. They continued their work, Ezran kind enough to keep Rayla company while she fished for a while before he went inside. The rain also definitely didn’t stop Callisto from dragging Callum outside for their little rune lesson. 

“The most important thing about magic is knowing where to use it and when. Remember, you’re wielding nature. Nature will fight back if you misuse it. Aside from that, it’s imperative you draw the rune and say the incantation _correctly._ Otherwise, you’re going to hurt yourself or someone else.” Callisto crossed his arms across from Callum. “So, what _do_ you know, exactly?” 

Callum rubbed the back of his neck. “Not a lot…” 

“You must know something if you discovered you were a mage.” 

“Well, I was looking through this book I took from the castle,” Callum showed him _Tome of Runes_. “I remember a few things from it. The one I used on the mountain lion was _aspiro_.” 

“Show me.” 

Callum blinked. “Right now? On you?” 

“What? No, don’t use it on _me_. Blow it in the _other_ direction,” Callisto looked at Callum like he’d grown another head. “Towards the river or something.” 

Oh. That made sense. Callum drew the rune out in the air, that tingling in his fingers again. He drew a breath and released it, “ _Aspiro!”_

The wind rippled across the surface of the river. At least he could do that one with confidence. Callisto nodded with approval. “Good. You seem to know how to do that one. Aspiro is a fairly basic rune, but it’s useful. More as a deterrent than an actual weapon as you probably know by now.” 

That he did. It bought him time with the lion, but didn’t actually do much in terms of stopping it. 

“You said you remember others. Show me.” 

“Uh…” Callum recalled the last rune he looked at. He drew the rune in the air. It felt cool against his fingers. “ _Pluvium.”_

His hand dropped water and he looked at it, unsure of what to actually _do_ with it. He thrust his hand out and a shower poured from his hand. Okay. He knew what that did now. 

“Pluvium is a spell you have to learn to be creative with, but it’s definitely useful for survival.” Callisto explained. “If we run into our previous problem ever again, now we know you can provide water, at least. What else?” 

Callum paused. What else…? Oh, yes. There was that last one. _Fulminis._

He drew the rune in the air, feeling the heat course through his wrist-- 

“Not _that_ one, you idiot!” 

“What, why?” The hair on Callum’s arms were rising the same way his sense of panic was. 

Callisto looked ready to leap off the ground. “Because it just _rained!_ The ground is _wet_ and you’re next to a river! You’re going to--” 

The lightning on the rune crackled and lashed out at the river. Around the corner, a strangled yelp ripped through the air. They raced to see who had been a bit too close to river when he’d made _that_ mistake. He had an idea who the lucky elf was. 

They bent over to look at Rayla, her hair raised, the fishing pole lying on the stone beside her. Callum cringed. “I’m _so_ sorry. Rayla, are you okay?” 

She didn’t immediately answer him, her teeth and limbs tight and twitching. Callisto was weary to touch her. “Rayla, can you hear me?” 

“Y-yeah…” Her voice wasn’t entirely there, something between a whisper and a hoarse reassurance. Callum winced. He could see the crackling in her hair. Not to mention, she looked downright displeased to say the _least_. 

Even Callisto looked cautiously sorry for her. “You should go inside.” 

She looked at Callum, her voice returning to her. “That was you.” It was less of a question and more of a statement for clarification. 

Callum nodded, trying not to shrink under a stare that reminded him of Runaan, but with… more irritation. 

Callum’s lips peeled back into an uncertain grin. “Hey, look on the bright side.” He let out a nervous laugh. “I’m sure you’re the most radiant thing around for miles.” 

She opened her mouth to say something, but shook her head and apparently decided against it. “I’m going inside. ” 

Callisto didn’t argue with her. He shared a look with Callum. “Next rule: No lightning next to sources of water. _Fulminis_ is definitely a weapon.” 

Callum hunched his shoulders. Duly noted. 

-:-:-:- 

Later, when Callum saw Callisto again, he asked, “Is she okay?” 

“She’s fine,” Callisto sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Just don’t… hit her with lightning anymore. Can’t say she enjoyed that.” 

“So, she’s pretty mad, huh?” 

“About as mad as someone would be if they were shocked like that, but it’s nothing she’s going to hold a grudge against you if that’s what you’re wondering. I don’t think so, at least.” Callisto made a face, more to himself than to Callum. “She was pretty annoyed though.” 

Great… just as he and Rayla weren’t at each other’s throats he _had_ to have hit her with a whole bolt of lightning. A human sized bolt of lightning. Thankfully, she wasn’t seriously hurt. 

It didn’t leave him feeling any less guilty about the matter. Neither did seeing Rayla come downstairs. She didn’t seem upset with him, exactly, but she didn’t really stop to give him more than a glance on her way back out to go fishing. 

He pursed his lips. 

“What’s wrong, Callum?” 

Ezran stood next to where Callum was sitting. “It’s nothing. I kind of just… accidentally shocked Rayla while I was practicing magic.” 

“Oh, is that why she seems kinda mad?” 

“Yeah,” Callum sighed. “I didn’t mean to hurt her. I just wasn’t being careful. We were finally getting along, too.” 

Ezran raised a brow. “Why are you trying to get Rayla to not hate you so much?” 

“Well, because it’s really uncomfortable on my end being, you know, surrounded by--” 

“Elves?” Ezran frowned. “Callum, that shouldn’t matter. They’re being good to us.” 

“I was going to say _assassins_. And, yeah, they like you, but they’re still not sure about me. I keep messing up, too. First, I pretended to call them bloodthirsty monsters, I accidentally insult Rayla, then they find out I hid a primal stone from them and, _now_ , I zapped Rayla with lightning. It’s rough on this end, Ez.” 

Bait croaked. “Yeah, Bait agrees. I guess you’re not giving a good impression.” 

Callum almost rolled his eyes. “I’m glad Bait and I are on the same page, then.” 

“Hmm…” Ezran put a finger on his chin. “You mess up every time you try to talk--” 

“Great vote of confidence.” 

“--how about you write down what you want to say, instead? She’s fishing right now and isn’t super happy about it. And she’s probably bored. Why not try and cheer her up with a note? You know, like Dad would do with Mom?” 

Callum blinked at his brother. Ezran smiled a little bit. A little sad, but stronger than yesterday’s. 

Now that he thought about it… this definitely reminded him of the way his stepfather would just tiptoe around his mother when he was sure that she was mad. She didn’t show it exactly or take it out on him, but her displeasure was plain and that made it… interesting. 

When he really didn’t want to rock the boat, he wrote her notes. Little letters on pieces of parchment just so he could communicate with her and give her space. 

Callum looked down at his sketchbook and, suddenly, he was the one that was struck by lightning. “You know, you might be onto something there. Thanks, Ez. Maybe I can manage to sneak it to her while she’s not looking.” 

“Wait, Callum.” 

Callum paused on his way to the stairs. “Yeah, what’s up?” 

“I, uh… I wanted to ask you about something. Kind of a favor. For both of us.” 

Callum frowned. “Both of us?” 

-:-:-:- 

_My Most Radiant Rayla,_

_I’m really sorry about the fulminis incident. I am. I’m not very good at a lot of things, but I promise to get better with magic. It could be really useful for our journey to Xadia._

_Callisto says you’re alright. I’m glad that you’re alright. By the way, I never got to thank you for saving me from that mountain lion. Has anybody ever told you how incredible you are when you’re fighting? I’ve never even seen anyone move like that. You had him down in no time at all! I didn’t even have time to turn around. That’s amazing. I was told you’ve been training since you were really young. Is that true?_

_Again, I’m sorry about, well, everything that’s happened so far. I’m not exactly making the best impression on anyone here, but especially not you. It doesn’t really matter, though. Not as much as how kind you all have been to Ezran. He thinks you’re pretty tough. And I do, too. In more ways than one. But in a good way, mostly._

_I still mean it when I say you’re the most radiant thing around. You literally had lightning come of of you._

_That’s a story to tell your friends, right?_

_Signed, Callum_

Rayla had one hand on the fishing pole and one hand on the book Callum had left open near for her to apparently find. He’d come out for a bit, apparently doing more of whatever sketching he did from time to time, then just… left the book. Open and with her name on it. 

She blinked, confused as all else. What was he trying to play at? 

-:-:-:- 

Callum was sitting in front of the fireplace, looking through the _Tome of Runes_ when his sketchbook was shoved into his view. He backed his face up, following the hand holding it to Rayla’s frowning face, an unsure mixture to her lips and a hand on her hip. 

“What is this?” she demanded. 

“Looks like it’s my sketchbook.” 

“You _know_ what I mean. That thing you left me in there. What was that?” 

Callum shrugged, not putting too much into his face either way. “Just a note,” he said nonchalantly, a little pleasantly. “That’s all.” 

“Ugh, here,” she scoffed and threw it onto his lap before going back into the kitchen. Undoubtedly to help Runaan with the fish she’d caught. 

Callum sighed. Well, _that_ went well. Had he said something wrong again? Maybe the opening had been too much. He flipped open to the letter he’d written her at the back of his sketchbook. Should he try again? He was kind of out of ideas after this. 

He flipped the page. 

Callum blinked at the page that was indeed _not_ blank. A cautious optimism rose in his chest. She had written back. 

_Not The Worst Human,_

_I don’t know what you’re getting at here, but… it’s fine. Really. You didn’t mean it and I’m not hurt. I was more worried Callisto was going to restrict me again even though I keep telling him I’m okay now._

_And thanks. I have been since I was a child. As long as I can remember, I’ve been training to be a warrior. So, it’s nice to hear that it impresses someone. I have to be tough. I have a tough mentor. Runaan makes sure I’m ready for anything and I make sure I know what I’m doing._

_Just make sure you do, too, the next time you decide to draw another rune. I’m an assassin. A real, actual assassin, you know. I’m not supposed to be “radiant” like that._

_Signed, Rayla_

_P.S. Don’t mention it. I’m not mean enough to let a mountain lion eat you._

Callum read the letter again. He smiled. Maybe they would get along, after all. 

That night, at dinner, Rayla served his bowl of soup when she got her own. 

-:-:-:- 

Callum sat up in bed the next morning just breathing. He let himself just breathe. Just for a couple minutes. 

After getting ready, he waited for Ezran and they went downstairs together with the scarf they’d found when looking for supplies. They would be leaving the lodge tomorrow at latest. This had to happen today. 

Knowing better than to just leave, Callum approached Runaan. “Is it alright if Ezran and I go into the woods for a bit? There’s something we need to do.” 

Runaan regarded Callum. “What would that be?” 

Callum opened his mouth, then looked down. He found himself unable to say. Ezran stepped up to his side, showing him the scarf. “We wanted to go into the woods to bury this. For our dad. We aren’t going to be there for his, um…” 

“For his funeral. They’ve probably already buried him by now,” Callum said, something cold in his chest. “We don’t know when we’re going to come back here again. So, we just wanted to pay our last respects in the only way we know how.” 

A silence fell over the kitchen. He swore something in Runaan’s eyes softened just a touch. He shared looks with Callisto and Andromeda. Andromeda nodded. “Go. But Andromeda will accompany you.” 

Callum nodded. That was fair. For the prince’s protection and the elves’ reassurance, after all. 

The day was oddly nice. Or maybe it wasn’t odd at all. It was as if the forest was at peace, ready to receive this small part of his father and let him rest in this place that their family had come to and loved one another at. It was for all three of them. For their dad. For Ezran. For Callum himself. 

And, yet, there was a numbness to the entire day. Breathe, he told himself. 

Breathe. 

They found a spot at the base of a tree surrounded by a kind of flower they remembered their parents used to share with one another when they could. How fitting they would fit a space of them as if the forest had prepared it. 

They dug a spot with a small shovel and carefully laid the scarf in it. Ezran made sure it was all neat and proper. Fit as much for a king. A father. 

For a minute, they just looked at it before Ezran put a hand on Callum’s arm. Once the scarf was buried, Callum and Ezran both put flowers. Bait even hopped over to a nice looking stone. Ezran smiled despite his watery eyes. “Thanks, Bait. He’ll like that one.” 

The forest spoke for a while. The birds, the rustle of the leaves. They waited. Waited for the time to be right. Andromeda had stepped back, leaving them the respectful space and privacy they needed just for a little bit. 

Ezran was the first to speak through the thickness of his voice. Through the tears beginning to fall. “Dad... I’m going to miss you. It’s not going to be the same without you. I promise I’ll eat an extra jelly tart for you. I’ll make sure I take care of Bait. I always do, but you gave me a best friend. And you loved me a lot, too. I know that. I wish I got to tell you how much I loved you,” Ezran wiped his eyes even as his voice cracked. “But you were smart. You had to know how much we loved you, right? You knew. So, I’m not worried, but… Dad? Can you do me a favor?” 

Callum closed his eyes as Ezran spoke. 

“Can you say hi to Mom for us? Tell her all the stuff we’ve been doing since she’s been gone? She’ll want to know. I want her to know. And when we see you again, we’ll tell you all kinds of things, too. I… I promise we’re going to have a lot to tell you guys. _I-I love you so much, Dad._ ” 

Ezran hunched his shoulders, letting himself cry. Bait turned a deep shade of blue, croaking miserably and Callum put a hand on the back of his brother’s neck, holding his shoulder tightly to steady the both of them. Callum kept his lips tight the whole time, shaking and sniffling a little. 

This was it, wasn’t it? The first and last time he would ever see this spot. 

Maybe this would be the last time he ever saw the lodge. That cold spot got unusually warm. And hollow, too. He let that emptiness embrace all the things around him now. This peaceful forest day. The final resting place for their father’s memories. His body would be in The Valley of Graves, but his memories would be right here for his sons. He would think this was good. Preferable , even. 

Ezran gathered himself together, sniffing still. “Callum? Did you want to say something?” 

Callum couldn’t answer. 

Ezran hugged him tight. “It’s okay. If you want to go, we can.” 

“I… I, uh…” Callum cleared his throat. “Can I have a minute alone? I just want to be here for a little while with him.” 

Ezran squeezed him tighter and smiled. He looked at Andromeda. Andromeda said nothing, but she nodded and gestured for Ezran to come with her. Ezran asked, “Will you be okay out here?” 

“It’s not far,” Callum said. “I’ll be fine.” 

When they left, Callum turned back to the grave and just breathed. 

-:-:-:- 

Runaan was waiting for them outside the lodge when they arrived. He frowned at the sight of them. “Where’s Prince Callum?” 

“He wanted a moment alone,” Andromeda explained. That look he was giving her was chideful. Softly, she pleaded with him. “Runaan… let him have a moment. I think he’s earned that much from us.” 

He sighed. She understood, but Prince Callum wasn’t a child. Near his side, Rayla was hovering by the doorway. He jerked his head towards he woods. “Follow him.” Runaan glanced at Andromeda. “With discretion.” 

Rayla obeyed. 

-:-:-:- 

Callum stood there for a while. The silence not enough to fill the whole in his belly. Part of himself was tearing that whole open the more he stood like this, holding it all in. 

Holding it all together for the sake of living. Escaping Viren. Leaving Katolis. 

Everything. 

He had to let himself have this. 

Let himself have this much. In this moment. This one time. 

He let everything faded away. Yet, it all encompassed him on that singular focus. 

His stepfather’s grave at his feet. 

Callum sighed, shaking so hard through it that even his breath trembled. He breathed again. And again. 

And again. And again, his tears finally overcoming his will. And again, as the sobs sputtered from his lips. 

His shoulders shook as the weight of his world fell from them, his sobs overtook him and his tears blinded him. His knees buckled and he let himself fall onto them, his sobbing continued. 

He bawled. Let the whole forest hear it for all he cared. He bawled for his father. He bawled for his life ending as he once knew it. He bawled for that memory of Viren killing his father and how it came to his dreams every night. He bawled for all the life his father wasn’t going to get to see. His own and his sons’. 

Callum bawled and he sobbed and he cried. 

And when he could find breath through his sobs, on his hands and knees he punched the ground. “ _I’m sorry, Dad. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,”_ he cried and punched the ground again and again until his hand hurt. He croaked and his voice cracked. Thick tears fell from his eyes, sliding down his face and down his nose. “ _I’m so sorry...! I couldn’t help you…! I couldn’t save you… all I could do was watch… I’m so sorry… I’m so sorry… please, forgive me, Dad… please forgive me…”_

He hadn’t been able to do anything to save his father. Not a damn thing. 

“ _I promise… I’m going to protect Ezran… I’m not going to lose anybody else... I won’t let you down there…_ ” Callum sucked in a breath to steady himself. A hoarse determination gripped his voice. A bit of a growl. 

He looked at his father’s makeshift grave, his eyes burning like the inside of his chest. 

“ _I swear it.”_

_-:-:-:-_

Rayla leapt from branch to branch until she came upon the prince at a makeshift grave. He was on his knees, trying to catch his breath. Was he okay? She almost jumped down, but then he picked himself up and wiped his face. 

He stood there for some time, then he left. Rayla made sure he never saw her all the way back to the lodge. 

-:-:-:- 

Callum took a nap after that. A very much needed nap. 

He woke up feeling better than he had in _days._ Letting go for a moment after days of holding it together like that? It’d done more for him that he thought it would. 

He meant his promise though. He wasn’t going to lose anyone else. 

But there was some kind of peace, now. That hole was no longer being torn open. 

The rest of the day went by relatively well. Tomorrow was definitely going to be their departure day and the elves were making their last preparations for the journey. Tents had been packed after they found a few bags near the river. Food was also well accounted for and Rayla seemed just about fully healed. Callum was still kind of marvelled at how fast she’d gotten back on her feet. 

Things seemed to be going well. Andromeda even seemed to be a little nicer to him. 

The day looked bright. 

In the kitchen, Callum finished his lunch as Ezran helped Callisto clean up. Rayla had been sent out for patrol and the other elves discussed final matters with Runaan. Then, Rayla rushed through the front door, slammng it in her wake. 

She stomped right over to Callum half out of breath. “ _It’s winter lodge, Rayla!”_ She was beside herself, putting her fingers up in air quotations. “ _No winter, no humans!”_

Callum put his hands up. “Whoa, hang on. What’s wrong? Why are you yelling at me?” 

“You said there were no humans here in the spring!” She gestured toward the door. “There’s a small army of them coming this way! From _your_ kingdom!” 

Runaan rose out of his chair, a snarl on his face. “ _You--”_

“No! No, I didn’t do this! I swear,” Callum put his hands between himself and Runaan. 

Ezran pulled at Callum’s sleeve. “...Callum, what if it was Dad?” 

‘What?” 

“Dad. Remember, Dad was going to send us here. What if they don’t know?” 

Callum’s mouth fell open. He gripped his hair with both hands. “Oh no.” 

“What is it?” Runaan demanded. 

“My dad knew you guys were coming and he was going to send us here for our safety.” Callum spoke faster with every word . “He would have sent a small party to protect us, but I assumed that order was cancelled when he died. They might not have gotten word in time.” 

Or perhaps they hadn’t been sent word at all. Callum wasn’t sure what Viren was doing now. It wouldn’t surprise him if he forbade anyone from letting it get out to the generals of Katolis that the king was dead. 

“We need to go, now.” Runaan ordered. 

“There’s no time,” Rayla said. “They’ll be here any--” 

A horn sounded. Callum knew that horn. 

“They’re here.” Callum’s thoughts raced. “You all need to hide.” 

“We need to leave--” Skor was already brandishing a sword. 

“We’ll never get out of here without a fight.” Andromeda did the same. 

“The storeroom,” For once, Callum wasn’t suggesting. Assassins or not, he was giving an order. “Get in the storeroom and we can wait for an opportunity to leave.” 

Rayla started. “Our packs, the egg--” 

“No time. I’ll get them.” None of them moved. “Unless anybody else has a better idea, the storeroom is all we have. We can’t just _stand here_.” 

“He’s right.” Thank goodness, Runaan agreed. “Let’s go.” 

“I’ll do my best to keep them out of there.” Not that Callum was worried for the elves’ safety. He knew they were killing anybody who wandered in there alone. 

The elves finally gone, Callum and Ezran met the human soldiers outside. Who? Who could they be? Was it anyone he could talk around? 

The apparent general came forward and took her helmet off. She was tall, dark-haired with a scar on her cheek and the same uptiled eyes as his mother. 

“Aunt Amaya…” Callum breathed. 

Was this shock or relief settling through him? He didn’t exactly know. But his aunt embraced them in a crushing hug. 

She signed to them. Gren spoke, “Boys, I’ve missed you. It’s so good to see you. You’re safe now. I’m so sorry that we arrived late. How long have you been here?” 

“Only for a couple days,” Callum grinned so hard it hurt his cheeks. “Did Dad send you?” 

His aunt nodded and signed. “Your father’s letter arrived a few days ago,” she spoke through Gren. “I was hoping to get here a bit earlier than this, but it didn’t work out that way.” 

So, she didn’t know. Callum wondered why. 

Later, Callum did his best to sneak in all of the packs right under his aunt’s nose. When he managed to do that, he told the elves what he knew as quickly as possible posssible. There would be a watch, but most of the soliders would be asleep and if they could make it to the boats that were ported under the lodge then they could make their escape without any mess. 

Until then, Callum and Ezran just had to keep it together. 

“Callum, what if we tell her?” Ezran looked up at his brother from his place at the chimney. 

Callum put a finger to his lips. “Ez, we can’t. You know Aunt Amaya isn’t exactly the biggest fan of elves and we can’t really tell her that we’re running around with assassins.” 

“But Callum, doesn’t she deserve to know about Dad?” 

Callum bit his lip. “She does. But we can’t be the ones to tell her. We need to get away from Lord Viren.” 

“What if she can protect us from him?” 

He… he hadn’t thought of that. 

His aunt was probably the strongest person he knew. 

Could she? 

Could she protect them? 

-:-:-:- 

“Get the egg.” 

Those were Rayla’s instructions. Runaan did _not_ trust Callum enough to secure the egg. Rayla couldn’t blame him looking down at all the soldiers. She skipped across the beams, landing onto the second floor. 

It should still be in Runaan’s room. She made her way to the room he’d been staying in-- 

And panicked when it wasn’t there. 

No, no, no. Had they gotten it already? They weren’t _acting_ like they found it. 

Dragon eggs didn’t just disappear. She had to find it and she had to find it now. 

This was going to be a lot of trouble. 

-:-:-:- 

Callum rested his head on the back of his chair and nearly choked on air when he saw Rayla, leaping across the beams. What was she _doing?_

The egg. Callum stifled a groan. He’d hidden the egg down in Ezran’s bag in a bush near the river where the boats were when nobody had been looking. He’d done that _after_ talking to the elves. 

How was he going to get her attention? He couldn’t very well start looking as if he was talking to the ceiling. Okay, he had to think. How were they going to get out of this? Night was falling fast and now was not the time to mess this up. Soon, Aunt Amaya would go to sleep and they only had to deal with the nightwatch. 

Think, think, think. 

He thought and thought and thought. 

Unfortunately, hisideas were really running short right now. 

Rayla looked at him. She was mouthing to him. 

He looked around to see if anything was looking at him. He mouthed back, “I hid it.” 

She asked him where. 

Oh, for goodness sake-- 

He replied silently, “Go back.” 

She glared at him, but moved on. Was she even listening to him? He didn’t know where she was going and that made him nervous. Another hour passed and he didn’t spot her. That made him _incredibly_ nervous. Did he trust Rayla to move around like death itself? Sure. Did he trust her not to get caught when his aunt was currently _awake?_ That was another matter. The thing about having a deaf woman and a general as a family member was the fact that she was _very keenly_ aware of her surroundings. At all times. Ever. 

Even Ezran was nervous at this point, fidgeting with his toys. 

Only a little while longer. A little while longer. A little while-- 

They ran out of time. 

There was a scream, a rumble and soldiers exploded into the living space. Soldiers and the elves, fighting their way into a clearing. Callum leapt up, snatching Ezran into his grip. _How_? How had they been found? 

“I knew it.” Callum twisted his head to see his aunt and Gren standing on the second floor. Aunt Amaya signed and Gren spoke. “I knew someone else had been here. Too much of the food was missing for it to only have been two boys. Callum, Ezran, come here.” 

Callum stepped forward. “Aunt Amaya, wait, let us expla--” 

A soldier shot an arrow into the elves and Skor was the first to react. He danced into the fray, splaying man after man onto the ground. The scene erupted from there. Andromeda was a whip weaving in and out of the fight, men falling in her wake. Ram sheared and dodged swords as Callisto twirled his double-bladed sword. Runaan’s bow separated into his blades and he met several soldiers head on, a force of nature on his own. 

Gren and Aunt Amaya ran to join the frey, Gren getting ahead of Callum’s aunt. Rayla leapt down on his aunt from the ceiling. Callum kept a tight grip on Ezran, keeping as far from the fight as possible, he pushed Ezran toward the back door. “Go outside,” 

“Callum--” 

“ _Go!”_

Ezran hesitated, but ran outside, Bait in his arms a vivid green color. Callum turned his attention back to the madness that was going on before him. He was frozen against the wall, unable to tear his eyes away from the carnage. Metal clashed, men screamed, blood sprayed. The elves were _frighteningly_ good fighters. They cut through the soldiers, truly displaying the proclaimed Moonshadow elf prowess for battle. 

And yet. They were being pushed back. As they cut through men, more soldiers poured in. Each elf could handle about three men. Runaan was dealing with five at a time, but it wasn’t enough. 

Callum took a deep breath. He couldn’t just be standing here. He had to do _something_. At least, get them separated. 

“Runaan! Callisto!” he called from the outskirts of the battle. “Skor! Andromeda! Ram!” 

Runaan cut into a man, his focus driven on the task of staying alive right in that moment. He managed to exchange glances with Callisto who was busy doing the same thing, bringing his blade up into a man’s armpit. They switched places and Callisto took care of the men unprepared for Callisto’s blade sweeping across their throats. Callum hadn’t even _seen_ Runaan take down his end of soldiers. 

Skor was a madman in the midst of it all, faster than all get out and strong, too. He flipped a man clear across the room. “ _The hell do you want, kid?_ ” He shouted, stabbing a soldier who was charging at him from behind. “ _We’re having some adult conversations right now! Make it quick!”_

“Backdoor!” Callum pointed toward the back of the lodge. “Now! Let’s go!” 

“Smartest thing you’ve said since we found you!” Skor elbowed someone in the face. “ _You lot! We can’t do this forever! Let’s go!_ ” 

“ _Trying!_ ” Ram was running around a particularly large soldier trying to cut him down, his blades bloody from the others lying around them. “ _This guy won’t take no for an answer! Told him I’m not a good dancer!_ ” 

“ _Well, stab him between the legs and get it over with!_ ” 

Ram ducked a swing. He turned red. “ _Switch with me if it’s so damn easy then!”_

As if on command, Skor bypassed his assailants and slid under the legs of Ram’s opponent. The large soldier howled in pain as Skor buried a knife exactly where he said he would. Callum cringed. He _felt_ that one. 

“Ready?” Skor panted. 

Ram jerked his head. “Let’s go.” 

Andromeda joined them. “Runaan! Leave them before we’re surrounded!” 

Runaan glanced at them, then said to Callisto. “It’s time to leave.” 

“Seconded,” Callisto pushed the soldiers off of him, attempting to disengage. “Rayla! Let’s go!” 

Callum could see Rayla fighting his aunt, maneuvering and vaulting around her, only to be met with that great shield and his aunt’s even greater strength. Despite holding her own, it was clear that she was outmatched a couple decades. She was glad to disengage from this fight. When she got a chance. 

“Corvus!” Gren called. To who that was, Callum didn’t know. 

A dark-skinned man who’d been battling on and off with Callisto and Runaan twisted and threw a chain up to the second floor. Aunt Amaya caught the chain. Rayla saw her chance. She sheathed her weapons in a flash and leapt toward the first floor, but Callum saw it before she got all the way out. 

His aunt was fast. 

The chain went flying just as Rayla did and it found its mark. 

It wrapped right around Rayla’s neck not once, but twice and his aunt yanked on it, grabbing her back into the wooden railing with a thud and pulling the end through it so that Rayla couldn’t pull his aunt over. Callum’s heart plummeted into his belly. Rayla’s hands wrapped around the chain, fighting against her dangling position. 

Callum’s eyes widened. Over all the noise, he could somehow hear her wheezing, choking, _begging_ for air. 

He could _see_ that chain tightening around her throat. 

She kicked at the air. 

Her mouth fell open, her face turned red. 

She kicked harder. 

“ _Aunt Amaya, no!”_ Callum’s hoarse shouts mixed with the sounds of blades clanging and clashing. 

From the corner of his eye, Callum knew Runaan had seen Rayla. He charged toward her, but Corvus met him with a sword of his own. “No, you won’t, elf.” 

Runaan pushed him back, gritting his teeth. “ _Move.”_

He headbutted Corvus and used the moment to punch him in the face, desperately moving for Rayla again who was swinging her legs and clawing at the chains. A group of soldiers descended upon him. Those men were in his way. 

And he turned into a nightmare with those bloody swords. 

But he wasn’t going to make it. 

Callum looked up at Rayla fighting for air as his aunt was strangling her to death. 

He wasn’t going to make it in time. 

“ _Aunt Amaya, stop!”_

At the foot of the stairs, Callum started to climb. She looked at him, then away, but did not let go of Rayla. 

“ _I know you see me! Gren!”_ Callum shouted louder. Gren was busy fighting Callisto. But his aunt had _looked_ at him. She read his lips as they moved. “ _Aunt Amaya, let her go! You’re killing her! Green, tell her to stop!”_

Rayla’s kicks were becoming slower. She was turning purple. 

“ _Aunt Amaya! Stop! Please!”_

Rayla couldn’t kick anymore. And then, the primal stone was in his hand. 

“ _I said_ _ **stop!”**_ The command ripped through his throat. “ _ **Fulminis!**_ ” 

When he had pulled the stone out of his jacket pocket, he didn’t know, but he drew the rune faster than he could think and was hurling the lightning at his aunt’s feet. She must have felt him draw it because she jumped out of the way, letting Rayla got in the process. 

He heard Rayla hit the ground and ran over to the railing. A wave of relief washed over him when he heard her gasp, then again and saw her pulling the chain off as she picked herself up. Runaan was at her side in seconds. 

Callum turned to see his aunt, getting up off the ground, but not taking her eyes off him. Her face… shock. Confusion. Pain. 

She signed to him. “Callum.” 

Callum looked down, Runaan and Rayla were edging out towards the back, blades out cutting into anybody getting too close. He looked back at his aunt who still hadn’t quite moved. 

He spoke to her with his hands. A singular apology. It wasn’t enough to express how he felt. What he meant. 

She reached for him. He ran down the stairs and out the back right behind Rayla and Runaan. His eyes stung, but he blinked the threatening tears away, the soldiers right on his heel. He met the elves and Ezran down by the river, three boats all ready to go. Runaan had an arrow nocked. He loosed. Behind Callum, a guard screamed. 

Callum didn’t question it. He jumped into the boat with Rayla, Callisto and Ezran. 

They began to row away, but soldiers were still coming. Someone gripped his hair and Callum yelped, but didn’t fight when he felt the blade on his throat. He held his breath. 

‘What are you doing?” Callum hissed. 

Callisto kept his cool and his blade on Callum’s throat. “Making sure they don’t shoot us in the back.” 

They rowed under the bridge, past his soldiers. Past his aunt looking something between lost, angry and determined. He signed to her again. 

One last apology. 

-:-:-:- 

They rowed until the soldiers were out of sight. For a time, they stopped, letting the river take them. Callum had little to say, but he could feel Rayla’s stare on him. He dragged his attention from the primal stone rumbling between his fingers. 

“Thanks,” she said quietly, rubbing her throat. “Guess I owe you one, again.” 

Callum shook his head. “Nah. We’re even. Mountain lion, remember?” 

She almost smiled at him, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Why didn’t you go with your aunt? You wouldn’t have needed us anymore.” 

At that, Callum sat back, eyes cast on the primal stone again. 

“No.” he replied. “She couldn’t have protected us.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this chapter was long, but it was really rewarding to write for me. This chapter kind of marks a real big divergence in not only the plot, but the general outlook of these characters. Callum, especially. There will be more of it as the story progresses so I don't want to say too much there, but Callum seeing Amaya like that, probably never having seen her in that light before, doing that to Rayla is a big change. And it does affect him going forward. A lot of those hints of his arc were sprinkled throughout this chapter as well as hints about the other characters. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! It was fun for me to write despite it's length. 
> 
> I hope to hear from everyone, too. I love how your guys comments are getting longer and lengthier and more analyzing. It's super fun to see that, but even if you don't have a long comment, I love to read your comments anyway. It lets me know that you guys are still enjoying reading this and want more. Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	7. And So They Begin

They didn’t stop the boat nearly all night. 

The ultimate worry was if the human general would follow them or not. That, Runaan could not risk. Andromeda agreed with him. 

“Do you think they can outrun the river?” 

Runaan shook his head. “No. Not with the forests and a force that big. It will take too much time to get them into formation before they can chase after us.” 

She nodded. “They’re going to come after us. Not immediately. But in time.” 

“Soon,” He added. “We should expect them to depart by morning. For now, the river will aid our speed. We need to widen the gap.” 

On the boat behind them, Runaan could hear Rayla arguing with Callisto. He didn’t know who he was to be more exasperated with. 

“Callisto, I’m fine. You don’t have to keep poking at me.” 

“You were nearly strangled to death with a metal chain,” Callisto snapped. “You are going to be still while I check to make sure you are not bleeding internally, have torn neck muscles and possibly a damaged windpipe or so help me I am going to finish the job myself. Now, sit still.” 

The silence that ensued afterward told Runaan who won that argument. He would need to have a word with Rayla about letting Callisto do his job. Callisto had said it before. Rayla was strong, but she wasn’t invincible. Runaan remembered what it was like to be that young and feel as if nothing could touch him when, in reality, anything could have killed him. 

He supposed that was the great illusion of youth. 

There were times Runaan had to make himself put aside Rayla’s age. After all, he’d taken care of her nearly her entire life. That was primarily why her body dangling from around that chain had made some instinct inside flare like a lit flame. And, yet, he hadn’t been able to make it in time. Rayla was not invincible. But neither was he. She would have met her end then and there had it not been for the human prince. 

Runaan glanced back at Prince Callum watching Rayla and Callisto. 

-:-:-:- 

They finally looked for a suitable place to stop when the moon ran toward the horizon. Callisto had been treating and checking her wounds forever. His ability for healing magic was incredible and she did appreciate it, but… 

It was so annoying, sometimes. 

He instructed Rayla to drink some water. She obeyed and tried to hide her wince, but he wasn’t fooled. 

“There is a some damage.” He observed. “But I don’t think it’s so severe I can’t heal you. You’re just going to need to--” 

“Take it easy, I know.” She rolled her eyes. 

Callisto frowned. “If you would stop getting hurt then perhaps I would stop telling you that.” 

“Oh, right. I’ll try harder not to die next time since I wasn’t trying hard enough before. You know, I didn’t ask to get strangled. She threw the chain around when I trying to get away from her.” 

“And you took your eyes off your opponent in doing so. Learn to be more careful. You are lucky. And don’t mock me this time. Just listen. You’re lucky that your injuries are not as bad as they could have been. Perhaps your hands were keeping the chain from tightening too much or some higher being was watching over you, but luck had something do with it. That’s for sure.” 

Rayla looked away, but said nothing. He was… right. She’d been so caught up in what she was doing that she forgot to make sure her steps were careful. If she had stepped even a foot away that could have saved her some trouble. 

“How long do I have to ‘take it easy’ then?” she grumbled. 

“It won’t be as long as your time at the lodge. And you won’t need to be bedridden. Just don’t overdo it. I’m confident that I can heal whatever damage you sustained this time.” 

This time. 

Rayla looked out at the dark forest and didn’t talk to Callisto the rest of the boat ride. She more or less ignored him during their healing session once they had found a spot along the banks of the river to stop. Not that he seemed to notice or mind. Still, she thanked him, at least. He was right even if the way he went about it irked her, sometimes. 

“Rayla.” 

Rayla heaved a great mental sigh. Oh, she knew that tone of Runaan’s. That was his ‘I’d like a word with you’ voice. “Yes?” 

He took a seat under the tree next to her as she got ready to bed down if only for a couple hours. “You cannot always fight Callisto when he tells you to rest. He is telling you these things for a reason.” 

“I know,” Rayla crossed her arms. “But Runaan, I’m fine. He likes to pester me about it.” 

“Do you listen?” 

“Yes.” 

He raised his brows at her. 

“I try.” 

“It’s his job to be sure that you are healing correctly. An injury in the field could remove you from duty.” She looked away. “Worse, you could die if he’s not thorough. You know this. If he’s bothering you about it, then it means your well-being is on his mind.” 

Rayla uncrossed her arms. The last few days had been such a blitz. Between getting the egg, now sitting near Ram, nearly dying, and their time at the lodge, it was as if she’d been in a race to recover just so the rest of them wouldn’t die. Perhaps, she was getting ahead of herself. She turned back to Runaan. “I know you’re right... I just know I can prove myself.” 

Runaan nodded his understanding. “You have proven yourself. And you will continue to do so, but learning when to listen and follow orders is also a part of that. Listening means understanding.” 

“Just like you need to make sure Callisto and I don’t keep arguing?” 

“Yes, just as I need to make sure the team is not disturbed by any conflicts between you and Callisto.” He smiled a little. “Rayla, you know he respects you, but it is his job to worry about you. As it is mine.” 

Rayla returned his smile. She quipped. “To be fair, he worries about everybody that’s not himself. It’s going to get him in trouble someday.” 

Runaan snorted. “That, you may have a point in. But I have enough experience keeping him in check there. Now, sleep. We won’t be here longer than a couple hours.” 

“...are we leaving by boat?” 

He stood up to leave, raising his brows slightly. “Very possibly.” 

Wonderful. 

-:-:-:- 

The morning was pink when Callum woke up. Not that he’d really slept. It’d been an uneasy night, those elves that were allowed to sleep doing so with weapons in their hands. Runaan and Callisto kept watch on and off together. Runaan never put his bow away. 

Callum wanted to walk off on his own for a while, but even he knew better than to just wander off in a time like this. There was no telling how truly close his Aunt Amaya might be. 

So, he just went to the river and sat at the edge, looking out as rosy colors laced the water surface. There was something calm about the river. There was no rush or rapids. Just the stillness of the water letting the morning come peacefully. 

At least something was at peace. He closed his eyes and the image of his aunt choking Rayla was there. As it had been in his dreams next to the purple flashes and sick thud that accompanied his night memories of Viren killing his stepfather. 

He opened his eyes again and drank in that faint morning pink. He let yesterday die. It wasn’t as if he had a choice in the matter. Not anymore. That choice had been ripped away and tainted into something he could no longer understand let alone fathom choosing. 

Yes, Aunt Amaya was a warrior and he always knew that. His own mother had been right alongside her, but this-- this was different. 

“Hey.” 

Callum blinked, then looked beside him as Rayla claimed a spot. “Hey.” He smiled a little. “How’s your throat?” 

“Fine. Callisto’s treating it, but it’s still a bit sore. I just need to give my body a chance to heal itself. Shouldn’t be as bad as last time though.” 

“That’s good.” 

There was a pause between them. She looked out at the water with him. “You sleep alright?” 

He shrugged. “I slept.” 

“That’s fair. Mine was the same.” She said, then continued. “Say, is it... okay if I ask you a question?” 

He nodded, already having a feeling for what it was about. 

“What did you mean when you said your aunt couldn’t protect you? If she’s a general and your aunt then shouldn’t she have a say where your from?” 

Callum was quiet for a long time. He wouldn’t have been surprised if Rayla just up and left, but she waited, patiently, watching with him as the waters doused themselves in that pink dew color. He narrowed his eyes when he finally spoke, “I always looked up to my aunt.” He could feel Rayla’s eyes move to him. “Always. For as long as I could remember, really. She was strong, she could beat anyone and she always knew the right thing to do. If anyone could fix things then it would be Aunt Amaya. And I knew she had prejudice against elves, but I didn’t think anything of it, you know? Everybody did. But that was my fault. I didn’t really think about it. Then, I saw her choking you. I saw her look at me. She read my lips, but she still kept strangling you. And… everything I knew about her became tainted.” 

He’d brought his knees to rest under his chin. It was the truth he’d been slapped with last night. Nearly gutted, if he described how it made him feel precisely. How could she protect them if he had no idea what she would do? Her intentions to keep them from harm were all well and good, but they had also nearly resulted in Rayla’s death and for whatever Rayla was, he didn’t think she deserved to die. Not like that, certainly. 

When he saw his aunt killing Rayla, knowing full well what she was doing, he had been yanked back into the moment of the purple flash that came right before his father hit the ground dead. It made him sick to his stomach. 

“I can’t trust her anymore.” 

It killed him to say that, but it was the truth. Whatever image or notion of his aunt he had was now in tatters and he wasn’t sure anything was going to fix it. Moreover, he kept wondering what had she already done that he simply didn’t know about. 

What deeds were on her hands. He couldn’t call himself perfect. He never would, but he wondered how much elvish blood had stained her hands. How old had those elves been? 

“I’m so sorry,” Rayla said. He snapped out of his thoughts and looked at her. Her brows were upturned in an apologetic look. “I never meant for you to lose her like that.” 

“I never meant to either…” He shook his head. “It’s not your fault. I’m just glad you're alright. I don’t think I could have handled watching anyone else I know die.” 

Rayla opened her mouth to say something, but there was a loud croak that interrupted them. Ezran had come down to the riverside with them, Bait in tow. He rubbed his eyes, yawning. “Are you guys coming to breakfast? Ram made crickets.” 

“He made what?” Rayla turned a tinge of green. Callum couldn’t blame her. 

Ezran grinned. “Yeah, Bait loves them. Ram says they’re really nutritious too. I tried them. Not bad. Kind of crunchy.” 

“Maybe you can have my helping then. Callisto didn’t say I have to be on a frog diet,” Rayla muttered. 

Ezran laughed. Callum blinked at him. It was the first time he’d heard Ezran laugh in days. He looked at Rayla and she was smiling at the sound, too. Something in Callum’s belly bloomed at the scene before him. 

“Actually, Bait’s a toad, but I guess you can call him a frog just once,” Ezran grinned. “Callum, are you coming?” 

“Soon, buddy. Just need to wake up a bit,” Callum said softly. 

Ezran shrugged and left. Callum and Rayla turned back to the river. They stayed quiet for a good minute, soaking in the quiet as much as that early light. It was Rayla who finally broke the silence. She slipped off the sleeves of her forearms and revealed a dark scar on each wrist. “I got these back in the castle. I... keep wanting to ask Callisto if he can heal them, but then that means I have to explain them to him...” 

Her voice trailed off as Callum frowned. They looked like some kind of burn marks. She continued. 

“When I was in the castle, the high mage caught me stealing the egg. I got away, but he used his dark magic to pin me like he was a spider and I was a bug caught in his web. I…” Her voice trembled. She swallowed. “Then, he sent these dogs after me that were made of smoke and fire and I couldn’t fight them. I wasn’t fast enough to get away from them, either. Not with the egg. I managed to pick myself up, but you saw the shape I was in when I finally got out. I had to fight a lot of guards, too. And that’s… that’s when, you know. You met me.” 

And that was why she was in the state she was in when they met. Callum felt sick. He shook his head. “Rayla, I’m so sorry about everything. All of it. Lord Viren, my aunt… you didn’t deserve any of that.” 

She nodded curtly, but he knew it was sincere and she held a bare wrist, lifting her gaze to him. “You trusted me with your story. I thought I ought to trust you with mine.” 

His lips curved with gratitude. “I appreciate that. If it’s any consolation? I still see the flashes of light before my dad died. Everytime I close my eyes for too long, I still see them.” 

“I’ve been thinking we all see something when we close our eyes, if I’m honest. Even if we don’t know it. Sometimes, I think I see my parents if it’s too quiet. Outside and in my head.” 

Callum ventured to ask, “Where are your parents now?” 

“I never really had them.” It was her only answer. 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean-- I shouldn’t have asked that. That was too personal.” 

“It’s okay. I wouldn’t have told you if it wasn’t.” She slipped her sleeves back on her wrists. “You going to be okay?” 

“Yeah. I think so.” He meant it. “Can’t really afford to stay sad about stuff too long, right?” 

Rayla offered him a smile. “No, I suppose not. Come on, let’s go eat. Or, uh, try to eat breakfast.” She got up. “Think you might like crickets, Camel?” 

Callum followed suit, raising a finger in protest. “Uh, that’s not really my--” She was smirking. He laughed. “Oh, okay I get it. Good one.” 

“Let’s go, Sad Prince. Maybe we can feed our crickets to that toad of yours.” 

-:-:-:- 

Ram was not in charge of lunch that afternoon. Callisto made sure of that. They were expecting to leave after this and he was not about to start throwing his guts up in a boat on this kind of schedule. He would be damned first. 

“It wasn’t that bad,” Runaan handed him a handful of berries. Callisto just looked at him. “They’re nutritious.” 

“Then you can eat them. I’m not.” 

Runaan let out a low laugh. “I never thought you might be afraid of bugs.” 

Callisto rolled his eyes. “I’m not scared of them. I just don’t want to eat them. There are enough berries around here for me to suffice with. You can eat the jumping bastards all you’d like.” 

Runaan’s amusement didn’t fade right away even as he went on. “While we’re here, I needed to speak with you about something.” Calisto nodded. Runaan continued. “Have you been butting heads with Rayla a lot, lately?” 

Callisto narrowed his eyes. “No. Why do you ask?” 

“I heard that little argument you two had last night.” 

“Oh, that,” Callisto scoffed. “She doesn’t know how to be careful. I wish she would stop doing things that nearly gets her killed.” 

“As would I,” Runaan nodded slowly. “But I must remind you that Rayla is a full-fledged assassin now. She’s one of us, Callisto.” 

“I never said she wasn’t.” 

“Then perhaps you might try treating her like she is one. Rayla is capable. Reckless, but capable.” 

Callisto raised his brows at Runaan. This coming from Runaan, of all people? He supposed that Runaan had been the one to vouch for Rayla to come on this mission. He’d even had faith in her to kill that guard they first encountered the morning they came to Katolis, but it wasn’t as if Runaan didn’t have bias for Rayla. It was quiet, but it wasn’t unfounded. 

“She is capable. Which is why she should know better. Runaan, she’s going to get herself killed if she continues to act without thinking. I don’t know about you, but I’d like to not see her hanging as an ornament for some human.” 

Runaan frowned. “You don’t think I know that? She’s been under my care for as long as I can remember. If anyone understands what you mean it’s me. But even I have to remember to treat her with the respect she deserves. Rayla has shown us that she is well on her way to becoming an experienced assassin.” 

Callisto crossed his arms. “So, you want me to be gentler with her?” 

“I want you to remember that she is a part of the team. Not a subordinate of it.” 

Callisto considered Runaan and his words. There was definitely a difference with how Runaan got to talk to Rayla and how Callisto should. Runaan had more or less earned that spot in his own way, having essentially raised Rayla nearly all her life. There was something about that Callisto knew wasn’t necessarily up for discussion and he had no intention of bringing it up. He wouldn’t question Runaan’s place in Rayla’s life. The man had earned a certain different respect from Rayla and that relationship was their own. 

But, perhaps, Callisto could see the truth in his words. 

“Maybe I have been a bit hard on her,” Callisto scratched the back of his head. He sighed. “Fine. I will try and lighten up. I know she wants to prove herself. She’s been succeeding. I could just do without her almost dying so many times.” 

“Believe me. I understand the sentiment.” 

-:-:-:- 

The most interesting thing, Callum found, was Rayla’s odd opposition to taking the boats again. He hadn’t noticed anything wrong with her the night before when they were on them, but he also had probably been too busy in his own head to truly pay attention. 

“I just think we could get more coverage if we walk,” Rayla said, eyeing the boat warily. “We’re pretty exposed by the river.” 

“I know, Rayla,” Runaan said, an unusually kind tone to his voice. “But we’re more in need of speed, right now. Try to bear with it.” 

Rayla nodded, albeit unhappily. As they prepared to board the boats, Callum sided up next to her. “You know, you could probably rest more on the boats than if we went by land. Why don’t you want to take them?” 

“I told you, I just think that we could get more coverage through the forest with the trees and stuff.” She seemed inclined to hunch her shoulders, but there was a strange shift with her eyes that she wasn’t good at hiding. “That’s all.” 

Callum blinked. 

Wait… no. He tried to master his features to keep from outright laughing. 

Was she for real? 

He chuckled, smirking. “Are you sure that’s the only reason? I mean, there’s nothing else? Nothing at all?” 

“No, of course not.” She crossed her arms. “Why would there be?” 

He wasn’t convinced. 

“Oh, no reason. You just don’t seem to be telling us the whole story.” He shrugged nonchalantly. “That’s all.” 

He could hear her grumbling behind him as she grabbed a pack and boarded a boat. His amusement, however, faded somewhat after they set off. The longer they seemed to sail down the river, the more miserable Rayla seemed to get. 

On one side, Callum and Callisto lounged, an oar in Callisto’s hand. Lounging was a generous term for any of the elves. Callisto was always scanning the forests, never completely at ease. His gaze eventually settled on Rayla, bent over the other side of the boat as if to try and contain the contents of her lunch. Callisto just slowly shook his head at her. 

Callum tapped on the book of runes he had open, concern coming through his voice “Is she going to be okay?” 

“She’ll be fine. As long as she doesn’t fall off the side of her boat with all her moving around,” Callisto said. 

Rayla looked over her shoulder. “I can hear you, you know.” 

Callisto went back to scanning the forests. “I know.” 

“I’m fine,” she said, not sounding the least bit so. Quite frankly, she sounded like she was going to hurl. “I’m just looking at the detail on this bo--” 

She stopped herself and put a hand to her mouth, keeling back over with a poorly hidden groan. Callum cringed. Admittedly, he felt a little bad about making fun of her earlier. He’d been so smug about it. 

“Are you sure she’s going to be okay?” Callum whispered. 

“Don’t worry about it,” Callisto lowered his voice. “She’s never been good with water. Something about it doesn’t sit right with her. I can only imagine the trouble it was for Runaan to get her to take a bath when she was younger.” 

“I said I’m fine--” 

“You just sit right before you end up--” A yelp, a splash was all it took to have Callisto rolling his eyes. “--falling in.” 

Callum jumped up to grab her before she was swept away, but Callisto had already moved to haul her out of the water as they passed by. She coughed up water, picking herself up, ringing out her hair and looking overall the picture of an unhappy elf. 

“I could maybe use aspiro, you know,” Callum offered. “To dry you off?” 

Rayla opened her mouth as if to accept the offer, but Callisto beat her to it. “And that risks tipping the boat over. As a word of warning, if we capsize, I am drowning you. Your best bet is to can dry her off when we land.” 

Callum winced. He mouthed an apology to Rayla. 

She shook her head. “It’s fine. I’ll just… be here.” 

She laid back down on the boat. Callisto said nothing, but he nodded an approval. 

-:-:-:- 

“That was Rayla.” 

“It was,” Andromeda confirmed, the egg of The Dragon Prince in the bag at her side. 

Runaan resisted the urge to sigh. She always did have an aversion to water. He wasn’t trying to make it more difficult having to travel by boat, but it was the fastest way to widen the gap between them and the humans. With enough distance, they could probably lose the humans completely. 

He glanced at Andromeda. She was scanning the forests as he watched the river path ahead, but every now and again she glanced at their third boat not too far behind. At the young human prince riding with Ram and Skor. 

“You worry in excess.” 

She didn’t even look at him. “I’m not worried.” 

“You are,” Runaan said. She finally turned to him. “Andromeda, even Skor wouldn’t begrudge a human child. Do you not trust him?” 

“With the prince’s life? Yes. Skor knows his duty,” She said. “Remembering that he is a child, not just a human? How can I be?” 

Runaan shook his head. “Skor knows how to handle children, Andromeda. More than the rest of us. Trust him.” 

“I do trust him. You know that, Runaan. But… he’s human. Ezran can’t be much older than a decade. I don’t want him to feel the weight of all this transgression between our peoples.” 

“He is in line to be the future king of Katolis. By all technicalities, he is the rightful king of his kingdom. This is what he should have been training for his entire life. I doubt Skor’s frost will make little difference.” 

“He’s only a child. He doesn’t deserve it.” 

Runaan looked at her for a long time. And there, in the green of her eyes stark against her dark skin was more than enough that she didn’t need to say. He would say this once. He didn’t have it in him to keep a firm tone. It came out almost a whisper. 

“He’s not Aelan.” 

At that, she looked away and he was sorry for it. 

-:-:-:- 

Sitting on the boat with Skor and a human wasn’t terrible. It wasn’t bad at all, really. But it did mean that Ram had to be the one to do most of the talking if there was to be any. Skor was outspoken, yes, but his comfort level around humans was… less than. 

But he didn’t bother anyone nor be particularly over bothered by Ezran. That was good. 

Not that Ram would blame him entirely. 

“Where did you get your glow toad from?” Ram asked Ezran. Skor kept to scanning the forests. 

Ezran smiled. He winced with a certain sadness. “My dad got him for me when I was younger. He’s been my best friend ever since. You knew he was a toad though.” His smiled split into a grin. “Most people think he’s a frog.” 

“I’ve handled glow toads before,” Ram explained. “They’re diets are actually very wide for creatures like his, but they prefer insects.” 

“Oh, Bait loves insects. He really liked those crickets you made, too. They were good, actually.” 

“Thank you. At least someone appreciated them,” Ram said somewhat proudly. “You know, they’re actually rather nutritious and they’re not half bad when you roast them.” 

“Roasted or not it’s still a bug,” Skor snorted. 

“A nutritious bug,” Ram pointed out. “Beggars can’t be choosers.” 

“You’re lucky Callisto didn’t throw you into that fire when you told him you made insects for lunch. At least make a soup out of it.” 

Ram shrugged. The crickets were eaten. At least, Andromeda and Runaan didn’t complain, but it wasn’t like them to do so either way. “Is Bait the only glow toad you’ve ever encountered, Ezran?” 

Ezran nodded. “I’ve only ever had him.” 

“That’s what I figured. Well, perhaps you’ll run into more when you get to Xadia, huh?” 

“Do they have glow toads?” 

“There are all kinds of things in Xadia,” Ram grinned. He pulled out a couple of roasted crickets from his pocket. Bait croaked and immediately snatched them up with his tongue when offered. He turned pink. 

“He changes with his mood, correct?” 

“Mm-hm. This means he’s playful,” Ezran chuckled. “He likes you, now.” 

Ram patted Bait on the head. “Oh, good. Maybe when I get time, I’ll see if I can find more crickets for him.” 

“He’d like that. Wouldn’t you Bait?” Bait’s subsequent croak turned into a burp halfway. Ram laughed a little. It died a little when he caught Skor eyeing him. Skor turned his attention back to the forests as Ram tried to allow the prince some semblance of a normal conversation. 

-:-:-: 

They travelled for the next couple hours, the river speeding up in places that made probably Rayla prefer death. Even if managing those rapids prompted Runaan to make the merciful decision to stop for the time being. Callum felt some relief for her. 

“We’ve travelled far enough down river for the day,” Runaan said once they had pulled the boats onto the banks of the river. “One of us will scout on ahead. Ram, you’re the fastest in these environments. That’s going to be you, for now. Give us a report on the terrain ahead and if you think there will be any more rapids downriver.” 

Ram nodded and immediately left. 

From there, they worked to unpack their tents and get some kind of decent night’s rest for once. After a while of struggling to actually put his and Ezran’s tents up, Rayla just shooed him away and took over. 

“I’ll be done in the amount of time it’s taken you to get this far,” she told him. 

She was probably right. 

In the meantime, Callum went over a few runes near the banks of the river. Instead of moving on to new ones, he focused on the few he knew already. Could he perform them better? Fulminis was the one he had to get better control of. Unlike pluviam and aspiro, this one was easily a bonafide weapon. He was wary of actually performing the spell in and of itself. Especially since the last time he practiced it didn’t exactly go well. 

“If you focus your mind, you will better gain better control of your spells. A prepared mind is key to magic.” 

Callum twisted around, nearly dropping his book. Runaan always had that effect on him. He was an elf that was easy to tense up around, but Runaan didn’t seem to carry the stance of someone who wanted to be seen as the threat he knew how to be right then. He watched Callum, hands behind his back. 

“Oh, uh…” Callum started, unsure of how to proceed. “How might I do that?” 

“Whatever it is that calms your mind even in the most dire of situations. But that’s an easier thing said than done for someone of your age, I know,” Runaan replied. “Sometimes, all you can do is prepare yourself for those times in life beforehand.” 

He could understand that. There were times his stepfather often needed time alone. Nothing was necessarily wrong, but he just wanted to soak in the world and the state of the day in peace. “And what do you do?” 

Runaan never quite moved from beside the tree that marked his place. “I meditate. It allows me to consolidate my thoughts and push them aside to better evaluate my place in life. Be that currently or just in general. You may choose a different form than mine, but meditation in any form usually does a young mind good.” 

“Thanks. I, uh… probably kind of needed that.” Callum nodded, then he frowned. “Why help me though? None of you are exactly fond of humans. I know you aren’t.” 

Runaan regarded him, but didn’t answer immediately. Seemed inclined not to. Callum waited. As Runaan turned to leave, he said to Callum, “You saved Rayla’s life twice. Once in which you nearly struck down your own family member in doing so. I can’t overlook that. I meant to come and thank you properly.” 

Callum blinked. Once. Twice as it dawned on him. 

“You care for her,” he said quietly. It was less of a question and more of a statement. “Don’t you?’ 

Runaan didn’t say anything. He didn’t move. Callum continued. 

“Rayla mentioned that she didn’t have parents earlier.” Runaan’s head turned back just slightly as Callum spoke. “Is… is that where you come in? You raised her...” 

Runaan’s silence was all the answer he needed. He turned away from Callum completely, his next words all too quiet. “Be sure to focus your thoughts as your drawing your runes.” 

Callum’s stepfather was in his thoughts for some time after that. 

-:-:-:- 

“Callisto, go with Rayla to get more firewood. We’ll need extra once the night gets cold. When you get back, we need to discuss our alternate routes from here on out.” 

Dinner was already going, fish and some stray bird that had wandered too close to camp. Callum wasn’t completely sure what kind of bird it was, but he supposed it was probably safe. At least, the fish would be. Skor cleaned the fish and the bird nearby. Before Callisto could leave, Callum ventured to raise his hand. “Uh, I could go with her if you want.” 

The entire team looked at him. 

He rubbed the back of his neck. “I just, you know, haven’t really been doing much and if you guys have things to talk about I can probably take the job. It’s only firewood.” 

“Do you think you can carry wood?” Skor asking, brows raised in question. 

Callum wasn’t afraid to make a face. “I think I’ll manage.” 

Runaan shared looks with Callisto. He nodded to Callum. “Go. Make sure there’s enough for the whole night. We don’t need to make multiple trips away from camp.” 

Callum almost addressed him with a ‘yes sir,’ but that didn’t feel quite right. So, he just nodded with a “We can do that.” 

Convinced, Runaan went to pull out a map of Katolis that he had snagged from the lodge. Before they left, Rayla tentatively turned to Callisto. “Is there a limit to what I should do? Weight, I mean.” 

She had asked it with an olive branch between the words. Callisto paused. He seemed to take it, telling her with a softer tone than seemed to be like him, “You know your own body and I’ve treated what could have been dangerous. Just don’t strain yourself. Think you can do that for me?” 

Her lips twitched into a smile and she nodded. “I can do that.” 

Callisto waved her off. A friendly dismissal. Callum didn’t fail to notice the satisfied look in Runaan’s eye as he watched them. 

-:-:-:- 

He watched the elf and the human prince for some time. They chatted about nothing, really. Nonsense. Whatever it was people their age discussed. 

The elf was was just barely taller than the prince. He caught sight of her horns. They were a purple color. A good length for her age. Worth something, indeed, to a few people. He and the one who had summoned him would share a particular interest in them. The man in the west, a different interest. 

Athletic. A warrior in full. She would put up a good fight. 

Good. This would be entertaining, then, with a real reward at the end maybe. 

His attention snagged on the prince. Not much to look at if anything. The prince looked nothing like King Harrow, so, this was probably not the crown prince. This was the other prince. Both princes were to die, but this one especially was a spare. 

Nobody would care what was done with him either way. 

Good, good. All good. 

He could drag them into the forests where nobody might bother him with his work. 

He waited, still. She should be getting ready. He would wait elsewhere. Not for these two he felt greed lace through his fingertips for, but the other elves. For the younger prince with all hopes. Then the set would be complete. Could harvest what he might find useful then burn the rest, set the forest ablaze for all he cared. 

But, for now, this was her hunt. 

He had promised. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mysterious, indeed. 
> 
> This chapter had a lot of hints for the elves. Their personal backgrounds and such, most especially Skor and Andromeda, but I also had other dynamics going on there, too. I don't want to say much this time around, I'd rather hear what you all have to say so be sure to leave a comment! I love hearing them and they really spur me on and keep me having those chapters out as soon as I can! 
> 
> Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	8. Anarr

“Hey, I think I found some good wood,” Callum grinned at what looked like a weak branch fallen from near the top of a tree. 

“Is it, this time?” Rayla peaked over his shoulder, a collection of large sticks and near log size bark. “Okay, it is.” 

“Ha! See?” 

“I’m proud of you.” 

He couldn’t help but laugh at that. Her fond smile made him laugh a little more. It felt good to laugh in earnest. Lightly, casually. The morning had started off rather solemn, but doing something useful and somewhat normal made things at least _feel_ better. That was for sure. 

“I don’t think we need anymore after this,” Rayla said, walking over to a stick. “Hey, can you get this one? My arms are kind of full.” 

Indeed, she had done the lion’s share of the work, but he hadn’t expected anything less with Rayla being the stronger one between them. Picking up the stick, he said, “We should probably head back now. You think Callisto’s done with dinner?” 

“Maybe. He might still be reeling from the crickets, so, who knows.” 

They started heading back, the light seeping through the trees being snuffed out more and more until it almost seemed like sunset may have been settling. Callum frowned. He shared looks with Rayla. Apparently, she felt the same. “That’s…” 

“Weird?” She watched the sky. “We haven’t been gone _that_ long, have we?” 

Callum shook his head. “No way. We were gone maybe an hour or two at best...? Right?” 

Silence. 

Callum glanced at the empty spot where Rayla was. 

What-- 

“Rayla?” 

No answer. 

“Rayla, where’d you go?” He called. “Rayla!” 

-:-:-:- 

She thought Callum had followed her. 

How had he gotten away from her so fast? Did he even know how to navigate a forest on his own? 

“Callum?” Rayla twisted again. Nothing. 

He was just… gone. Her heart dropped into her belly. She didn’t care if she was maybe being overcautious. Runaan would agree that being overcautious was better than being not cautious enough. Quite frankly, it was downright abnormal for anybody to disappear without a trace that quickly. Unless Callum was playing a trick on her, something wasn’t right. 

“Rayla.” 

That-- 

“ _Rayla._ ” 

That was _not_ Callum’s voice. It was a woman. Familiar and all-enraging to Rayla’s senses and, yet, she went numb when the pitch of that voice brought her back to a few memories she once held dear. What memories she _did_ have that weren’t of Runaan and not the people they should have been. 

Rayla actually dropped her pile of wood on the ground and whirled, pulling her swords out as she did. Her eyes widened at the face so much like her own. 

“ _...Mom?”_ Rayla’s mouth fell open. She rubbed her eyes. No, this wasn’t right. Was it? She looked back up. “Is that you?” 

“Of course it’s me, Rayla.” 

“What… what are you _doing_ here?” 

This couldn’t be real. She had to be seeing things. No, her mother was gone. Her father was gone. In reality, they had never really been with her, but four months ago they truly had gone and left with the greatest dishonor no less. 

“I missed you.” Rayla’s mother stood underneath a tree. She smiled. “It’s been so long. Where have you been, my love?” 

Rayla shook her head. “Where have _I_ been? How-- _You don’t get to ask questions like that! You left! You abandoned the egg of The Dragon Prince? How can you just ask where have I been?”_

Her mother didn’t seem fazed. “I know you don’t understand, but I promise you will. Come here. Sit with me. I’ll explain everything.” 

Rayla held her ground. The _nerve_ of-- No, now was not the time. Against her better judgement, Rayla took a step forward. “What’s there to explain? You left. You ran away, abandoned The Dragon Prince and now we’re trying to avoid an all out war. _You_ and _Dad_ did this! How could you just leave like that?” 

How could they leave her like _this?_

Her mother said nothing. 

“Do you know what you put me through?” Rayla hated the way her eyes stung. “Do you have any _idea_ of the shame you two put over my head? What I had to live with because of that?” 

“You shame yourself, Rayla.” 

Her mother’s tone became cold as ice, nothing inviting it in any longer. Rayla froze. 

“You always have. Why do you think we had to put our lives on the line, anyway?” Her mother stepped toward her, eyes glinting wickedly. “We had to leave, Rayla. We had to leave because of you.” 

“I never did _anything_ to you,” Rayla’s eyes burned. “I don’t know what ever it is you think I did, but Runaan is _proud_ of me. You hear that? He’s proud of how far I’ve come and now we’re taking the egg back to Xadia with no help from you or Dad.” 

Her mother said nothing. Nothing, and it was maddening. Why be here at all? She hoped Callum wouldn’t come around the corner and see her like thi-- 

Callum. 

Callum. Where was Callum? 

Rayla paused and looked around. The dim forest felt suffocating, encroaching on her. Her mother’s face devoid of anything she could earnestly call natural. The coldness… she had never seen it quite like that before. 

It all felt… wrong. 

Like it wasn’t there at all. 

Rayla shook her head and rubbed her eyes. The way chills were now running up and down her spine said it all. It reminded her of the burning she took when she got the scars on her wrists. 

“You aren’t even here,” Rayla hissed. “And even if you were, I wouldn’t have to explain anything to _you_.” 

She turned away from her mother and ran in the opposite direction. 

-:-:-:- 

“I told you to take care of your brother,” said the king. His father stood before him. Callum tried not to weep. 

“I am, I-- I’m trying, Dad,” Callum had nearly dropped to his knees at the sight of him. 

“You haven’t earned the right to call me that,” his stepfather scorned him. Callum felt like his heart was being ripped out of his chest. “I never granted you that.” 

“Y-your majesty, _I’m sorry_ ,” Callum cried. He had tried. He was _trying_. What more could he do? 

“Sorry isn’t good enough.” 

Callum dropped to his knees, the weight of King Harrow’s words unbearable on his own two feet. He tried not to forget to breathe. 

Of course, sorry wasn’t enough. How could it be enough when his stepfather had _died_ because of his own damned inability to help? What could have been if he had even made a squeak? A peep of noise could have prevented all of this. 

The shame threatened to eclipse him in everything he believed himself to be in that moment. 

Helpless. Traitor. Useless. It was all encompassing. 

“What good are your promises to me if you cannot even save yourself?” 

Save himself. 

Save himself? 

He felt it before he saw it, the feeling of something about to pounce on him. Too late, _too late--_

“Callum!” Rayla’s swords met the beast, thing, _whatever it was_. Callum looked up. The king was gone, but now there was a fight at his back and suddenly everything was a bit clearer. He could breathe again. 

  
“Rayla, what happened?” Callum pulled his primal stone out. “Where did you go?” 

“I could ask you the same thing!” 

He didn’t argue with her on that one. Instead, he turned to the thing that could have been human -- if it didn’t waft around like a puff of smoke, dark magic solidifying it’s form. It had no face, only a body and Callum could only tell one thing: it was a predator. 

Rayla’s ears were down and swore he could see her sword trembling, her eyes fixated on the beast in a way that wasn’t entirely hardened. But she stood her ground. It struck again, a tendril like arm lashing out. She met it square on. It vanished, melted right into the dark. Callum took a step closer to her. “Did you see that?” 

“It just… disappeared. Watch your back, it’s you it wants to kill.” 

Lord Viren. 

He should have known. Callum was willing to bet everything he owned that this had something to do with him. 

Again, he felt it before he saw it. He twirled on his feet and drew out a rune. “ _Fulminis!”_

The lightning crackled and the thing screamed. Screamed wasn’t exactly the right word -- he wasn’t sure if this thing could even do that -- but it was the only way he knew how to describe it. Rayla didn’t fall out of a fighting stance. 

“You got it?” 

Callum didn’t either. “I think so… what _was_ that?” 

“I don’t know.” She kept her voice low. “But I doubt it was alone. We need to meet back up with the others.” 

The others. 

_Ezran_ . 

Callum gripped the primal stone tighter. “Okay, first of all, how do we get out of here? Do we even know where we're at?” 

“The light’s been snuffed out somehow, but the forest hasn’t changed. Not that I know of. We keep moving before more of those things show up. We go back the way we came. Recognize the trees.” 

They did just that, not running into anymore of those strange creatures, but never letting their guard down. It was only a matter of time. They could feel themselves being watched, tracked, for sure, and whoever was responsible for this haze they were in was probably taking notes. Minutes passed. Nervous minutes that stretched into what felt like forever. 

“Wait.” Callum stopped and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “We’re never going to get anywhere like this.” 

“We don’t have a choice. If we stand still too long something’s going to jump out at us and I can’t protect you from something that’s too fast to see. The sooner we’re out of this, the sooner we’re safe.” 

Callum shook his head. “Don’t worry about me. I’ve got a plan.” 

Callum explained his plan to her as quietly as he could. Dark magic or not, this haze was just that, a haze. He could smell it, a sharp tang in his nose and his mouth. It had to end somewhere, right? 

He didn’t exactly know, but it was a shot in the dark that he was willing to take. 

“Are you sure?” Rayla frowned. She didn’t particularly like his idea, but resigned herself that it was all they had to work with. 

He nodded. “I’m sure. I’ll be right behind you.” 

Rayla faced the tree Callum had chosen to be their anchor, the tallest tree in their vicinity. She looked at him one more time before leaping into the branches, higher and higher until he couldn’t quite see her anymore. 

-:-:-:- 

Rayla didn’t like the way this felt. Dark magic in general already made her shiver, but leaving Callum down there by himself made it worse. It was too risky, too easy and felt like they were playing right into the hands of whoever was doing this, but this haze was endless outward. 

There was question about up. 

The farther she went up, the clearer she could see and the more light there was. The haze only reached up so far. 

“How’s it look up there?” Callum called. 

“It’s clear. Can you climb?” 

“Maybe--” She heard him yelp. There was a scuffle and the light of his rune. “ _Fulminis!”_

“Callum!” Rayla leapt down, grabbing the branches on her way down. She pulled her blades out as she landed, scanning for Callum somewhere in the fog of it all. Where, where, where was he-- 

Something terrible brushed past her and she saw Callum’s shadow move as if to face it. “Rayla!” 

“I’m here!” 

He wasn’t calling for help, she knew. His next rune didn’t have the the crackle of his lightning spell. “ _Aspiro!”_

Rayla leapt toward him, damn whatever it was in the fog prowling on them. She found her spot next to Callum and snarled at the dark itself. “Did you see it?” 

“I don’t think it’s an it at all. I don’t think it’s anything. It just feels like a shadow. We need to get out of this haze. It can see us, but we can’t see it.” 

As if the magic itself was listening, the haze receded until there was nothing, but what prowled within. 

-:-:-:- 

“Callum and Rayla sure are taking a while.” 

The young prince had a point. Callisto frowned. “They are.” 

“Teenagers do that sometimes,” Skor dismissed. Callisto shot him a look. “I meant that they take their sweet time doing things.” 

“Rayla’s not like that though,” Callisto looked at Runaan. 

Runaan had already stopped what he was doing looking over a map of the human kingdoms. “No, she’s not. Rayla does her job as quickly as she can.” 

“Do you think they’re okay?” Ezran asked. 

“Of course,” Andromeda reassured him. “Rayla is a skilled fighter. I’m sure they’re alright.” 

Even as she said that, she looked over Ezran’s head at Callisto and Runaan. Ram wasn’t back either to go take a quick look. Runaan stood up. “Callisto, you’re with me. The rest of you stay here.” 

If Runaan’s face was anything to go on, he and Callisto we’re on the same page. 

-:-:-:- 

The beast had disappeared, it’s presumed master standing in its wake. The hair on the back of Rayla’s neck stood up. It was a woman. Tall. Her leather short top was long-sleeved over a fighter’s suit much like the one Rayla herself wore, thigh-high boots, too. 

In fact -- Rayla cocked her head -- her clothes looked _too_ much like her own. The woman slid the hood off her head. Blue tattoos adorned her forehead and her white hair was swept into a long ponytail to reveal pointy ears. It was then that Rayla finally noticed her four-fingered hands. 

“You’re a _Moonshadow elf?_ ” 

The woman walked slowly, deliberately. “You wanted to see, didn’t you? I gave you what you asked for. You should be thanking me.” 

“Oh, yeah, thanks for hunting us like rabbits,” Rayla growled. She took a step in front of Callum. “Who are you?” 

The woman didn’t answer her. Like fangs, two swords chinked out of her sleeves and into her hands. Blades only an assassin could get her hands on. That was enough of an answer. 

Rayla spun her own swords into a ready position. “Callum, go.” 

“What? No way.” She could hear him ready to stand his ground. “You’re not doing this alone.” 

“You need get out of here as fast as you can and go to the others. Go make sure Ezran’s okay,” She heard him hesitate. “I can hold her off.” 

“I’m not leaving you.” 

“Are we just going to stand here arguing all day?” 

“There’s no way I’m going to just--” 

The assassin didn’t wait for Callum to finish. She leapt. Rayla leapt with her and they met in the middle, their blades a vicious clash. “ _Just go!_ ” 

She didn’t look to see him leave, but quick footsteps in the grass told her as much. They became distant and Rayla pushed back against the assassin. She growled, “ _Who are you?_ ” 

The woman’s eyes were a wicked blue, glinting something deadly. “Isn’t it obvious?” 

They seperated and clashed again, Rayla pushed against her, but the assassin was stronger, taller. Rayla would have to be quicker, then. She spun out of place, the assassin pushing into air for just a second. Rayla stepped behind her, ready to plunge a blade into her back. The assassin recovered quicker than she had anticipated and stopped Rayla’s blade by crossing her own over her shoulders. “You’ll have to do better than that, my sun and stars.” 

Rayla could just _hear_ her grinning. She growled, “Don’t call me that.” 

Faster than an adder, the assassin twirled to meet her, encroaching on the space between them, every move an intention to draw blood. She swung, Rayla parried. Rayla moved, the assassin was there. The assassin went for Rayla’s neck, but Rayla bent backwards just far enough for the assassin to miss. It was still a close call. 

Separating from her, Rayla went back in, jumping for her from the air. The assassin pushed her away. Spinning her blades, Rayla went back in. Blow for blow, silver flashed and clanged. 

Throwing herself into a swing, Rayla feinted, dropping into crouch and diverting her blade into a cut that would have bypassed the assassins sword not in position quick enough to stop her -- 

Had it not been for the short blade that shot out of the assassins sleeve. 

The assassin’s arm shot out, nearly impaling Rayla’s head onto the thing as Rayla lost her balance. She fell back, rolling away and getting up. She twirled her blades back into position. 

All the while, the assassin had been smiling just a little. Now, her lips widened ever so slowly. Her nose wrinkled. 

“You fight like Runaan.” 

-:-:-:- 

Callum ran. He ran faster than he ever had. 

He _hated_ the idea of leaving Rayla there, but she was right. He had to see if Ezran was alright. 

He had to meet up with the others. If he could just make it back to camp, they could turn around and go get Rayla-- 

Someone dropped in front of him. Callum scrambled back, his primal stone out just as fast. He readied himself, but the off kilter man just cocked his head at him. “You really aren’t King Harrow’s real son.” He seemed to be talking more to himself than to Callum. “When I heard about a step-prince, I told myself, no, they wouldn’t do that. But here you are. Hmph. Guess all things do change with time, don’t they?” 

Callum didn’t even entertain him. He drew out a rune. “ _Fulminis!”_

He threw out a bolt of lightning, the man dodging it with a wicked cackle. “Whoo, boy! Watch out now! Wouldn’t want the place to catch on fire, would you? Then, you’d really never get out of here alive.” 

Callum took a step back. He had a point. One wrong lightning bolt and the whole place would go up in flames. The man was in a coat that looked like it could have been of Katolis quite a few years back, unruly brown hair straight and long and growing at various lengths. The look was complete with the unsettling gaze in his hazel eyes and that laugh. That grin. There was nothing nice in the lines of his glee. 

Callum also didn’t fail to notice the swords he began pulling out. Two of them that slowly fell out of his sleeves. 

“Then again, it’s not like that was the plan, anyway. I suppose I can finish you then go help with your friend and your brother.” 

“You stay away from them,” Callum growled and began drawing out his windbreath spell. 

“A little bit of air sure isn’t going to save you, boy.” 

A chill raked down Callum’s spine. There was a coldness in the man’s eyes, a distance that matched perfectly with that ill-suited half grin of his. 

Callum only managed to ask, “...who even are you?” 

A quick flick of those swords had Callum back at the ready. The man breathed out a chuckle. 

“My name is Morgan.” 

-:-:-:- 

Rayla was sweating, but she dared not wipe it from her forehead, allowing her opponent even a second of an opening. The assassin finally began to be the one to attack her, nearly overwhelming Rayla with speed and what seemed like at least a decade more of actual training. 

She knew Runaan. 

That told Rayla all she needed to know. 

Anyone who knew Runaan’s fighting style just from watching Rayla… she didn’t know who this woman was, but it was someone who Rayla needed to get away from. This wasn’t a fight she could win anymore. Not a feasible one. Not without sacrificing a limb, at least. 

This was a gamble in and of itself, but she didn’t put her swords away as she began running. No, she needed to be able to turn around and defend herself if need be, but it was _time to leave_. She prayed Callum had found Runaan. 

Her prayers died when she realized too late that the assassin wasn’t behind her and she saw Callum’s back come into view. 

“Callum,” she panted, pulling up beside him. “What--” 

Even Callum, fighter though he was not, did not take his eyes off the man in front of them. “Did you take care of the other one?” 

“No.” She would have to explain that one later. 

As if on cue, the woman dropped from a tree and landed beside the man. Two dual blade wielders? Rayla pointed a sword at each of them, getting between them and Callum. She _might_ be able to hold them off long enough to let Callum get away. Maybe. She wasn’t fool enough to think she would get out off it herself in one piece, but _he_ could escape. 

Rayla swallowed hard. She was a Moonshadow elf assassin. She knew her duty. She knew the risk. Her grip on her blades tightened. 

And an arrow whizzed past her head. For a half second, she worried that they had a third partner, but she knew that presence. She knew that feeling. 

The woman smiled vivaciously, balefully, and sauntered into a circle, Callum and Rayla in the middle, Runaan on the other side. 

“Runaan… how long it’s been.” 

Runaan and Callisto came beside her. Rayla looked at Runaan’s cold face, rage settling in his eyes, betraying the still and sternness of his features. 

“Anarr.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, the games begin. Meet the "she" from a couple chapters earlier. As you can see, Anarr knows Runaan. You'll be learning a lot more about her next chapter. She's an interesting bit. Let me know what your first impressions of these two are! 
> 
> I really love seeing your guys comments. Some of you leave long ones and I absolutely get giddy when I get that notification and some of you write short ones and I'm also giddy, but whatever the case, please keep commenting! All these comments really kick my butt into gear to keep writing! 
> 
> Also, if you have a tumblr (or are an artist), I'm also on tumblr as Kuno-chan and I'd love to hear from you there and also am a tad shameless and don't mind seeing posts about Sides of the Moon there! The more people that read it, the better! Thank you guys so much for reading this story and please continue supporting me! I'm so grateful for all of it!


	9. Blood and Shadow

“Anarr.” 

Runaan hated that dead look in her eye. In the years since she’d seen him she had whetted that look. She had embraced it and let it hone her. 

Destroy her all the same. 

And he was the damned that set her on that path. 

-:-:-:- 

Rayla could see the calculation behind Runaan’s eyes. The acknowledgement and the knowing and the rage. Anarr, apparently, had expected this. Delighted in it even. She seemed to enjoy Runaan’s sudden appearance just in time to rescue Rayla and Callum, grinning in the face of that coldness. 

“ _Runaan_ ,” she said with a savage coyness. “I didn’t know you might be dropping in today.” 

“You knew exactly what you were doing and who you were following.” 

Anarr raised a finger, shaking her head. “Not true. I only knew of the princes. The rest of your identities were forfeit outside of the obvious.” 

“Then, you are a fool.” 

Anarr cocked her head. “Am I? In the end, did it matter who you were? A Moonshadow elf is a Moonshadow elf. It’s all the same game to me.” 

Runaan said nothing, but he watched her circle. Watched her take each of them in. Rayla could see it in her eyes, looking particularly at Runaan and no doubt gauging his skill level from whenever it was she saw him last. “You haven’t changed. You’re still naive as ever if you think any of this is a game.” 

Anarr shrugged and looked away from him, her stance making it clear that she would return her attention to him in a moment. Her blade cocked. She eyed Rayla for a long time. “So… this is little Rayla. You really did bring her up to be murderers just like us, huh?” 

Runaan snarled. He didn’t answer her. 

“You wouldn’t remember me,” She went on, speaking to Rayla now. “You were too young at the time, but I remember you.” 

Rayla had never seen this woman before in her life, but from the way she talked to Runaan it had been a _very long time_. 

Anarr shook her head, musing as she took Rayla in. “You’re still so young. Young and precious in the world. You’ve no idea what’s out there waiting for you.” 

“You don’t know me at all,” Rayla said coldly. 

“Oh, my sun and stars. You see, that’s the thing.” Anarr raised her chin, a knowing, insidious look dripping from the depths of her green eyes and the maw of her pretty mouth. “I might as well know everything about you.” 

“Enough.” Runaan separated his bowblade in two. 

Anarr obliged him a second later, not a word of pleasantry to stall between them. She lurched forward. Runaan met her blade in kind, the metal singing between them. Runaan was not Rayla. He was not pressured and pushed upon the same way she had. Runaan was Anarr’s equal in every way and she had fully expected that. 

Anarr fought Runaan like a proper assassin, not giving him a breadth of room to move the way she had allowed with Rayla. Rayla was still on edge from how close she had come to her own death so many times. It was a wonder if Anarr had allowed her to live on purpose or if Rayla had actually lived off her own merit. 

Or both. 

“You two need to stay back,” Callisto said, his double-bladed sword twirling in anticipation of Morgan-- that’s what Callum said his name was \-- approaching as if to help Anarr. Callisto was not going to allow that. 

“I can help,” Rayla faced Morgan with him. 

“By defending Callum, yes.” Callisto said firmly. This was not up for discussion. “They’re not here for you. They’re here for him.” 

Rayla glanced back at Callum, his primal stone in his hand and ready to make his own stand. But she also could see Runaan fighting with Anarr and hated the answer she knew she had to take. 

Rayla tugged on Callum’s wrist. “Let’s go.” 

Callum frowned. “Rayla, are you sure--” 

“No, I’m not, but it has to be this way.” He nodded slowly, not fool enough to put his primal stone away. 

She squeezed his wrist and looked him dead in the face, her lips tight. “Please, keep up.” 

It wasn’t an order. It was a plea. 

-:-:-:- 

“ _Anarr_ ,” Morgan growled. Callisto wasn’t going to let him pass. Not a chance. He didn’t know this human, but he knew Anarr. That was enough. 

“I’m busy,” she said calmly, but her movements were not calm at all. If there was anybody who could take on Anarr, it was Runaan. 

“They’re getting away--” 

Callisto slashed at him, but the bastard was smart enough to move back as he was talking. He didn’t give the human a chance to recover. 

Callisto whirled one end of his sword into Morgan, then the other and each blow was met by the man. Barely. He was distracted. Or perhaps he wasn’t as skilled with these swords as Anarr was. Perhaps, she had taught him. Good. 

Better for Callisto to kill him with, then. 

“ _Anarr._ ” 

“Fine.” Anarr pulled back from Runaan, a good, healthy distance away that Runaan sought to close. She was quick though, jumping out of his reach as she sliced her palm open and let the blood hit the ground. She took a breath. “ _Wodahs ym suht lliw ym emoceb._ ” 

Anarr winced as the blood curdled and slowly rose from the ground in some kind of smoke like creature. It hovered beside Anarr, waiting for orders as it continued to form itself. Anarr grinned at it. “Go get her.” 

“Get get _them_.” Morgan snapped. 

The shadow slithered away, pulling itself together as it went to follow it’s orders. 

“ _Runaan_ ,” Callisto wasn’t given a chance to go after it as Morgan leapt on him in a flurry. 

He wasn’t much better off either. “I know.” 

-:-:-:- 

Callum didn’t care that his lungs were fighting for air. He kept up with Rayla as much as he could. Morgan and Anarr weren’t going to just _let them go_. Rayla, for all her experience, kept looking behind them, too. 

If they could just get back to the campsite then they could defend themselves better. 

And he could see Ezran with his own two eyes. Andromeda would defend him, right? She had stuck to Ezran like a burr practically since she had met them. That was a small comfort. 

That comfort was stifled when Rayla looked back and her eyes widened. He didn’t know what was behind him as she pulled him ahead of herand got between him and that shadow creature that had attacked them earlier. 

“Keep running!” He would have stopped if she stopped, but Rayla kept going, leaping over logs and whatever else that might have hindered her. Faster and faster still they ran. They could feel the shadow on their heels, looming over them. When it reached out, they snapped out of it’s reach. 

How did the campsite feel so far? 

They saw the light in the trees and could hear the river now. _Faster_. They burst through the clearing so hard, Andromeda and Skor got up from what Callum assumed was instinct, blades mercifully at the ready. 

“ _Shadow!_ ” Rayla cried. 

Skor narrowed his eyes. “Wha- _?”_

“Behind us,” Callum panted, pointing and getting in front of Ezran. “There’s a--” 

The shadow creature didn’t apparently have an aversion to light. It slithered out of the trees with no fear, not a hint of caring that it was now facing four people. 

“What _is_ that?” Ezran stayed behind Callum and Andromeda. Bait croaked and Callum wouldn’t blame the little guy if he turned green. 

“I don’t know,” Callum said. He hadn’t exactly been able to figure it out in between the thing’s bouts of trying to kill them. 

“It’s some kind of... _creature_ ,” Skor said. “Something unholy. Don’t let it touch you.” 

Callum had no intention of allowing that. The creature lurked, somehow stalking toward them despite no real solid legs to speak of. Nothing he recognized anyway. As if it read it’s mind, their form shifted into something vaguely humanoid with legs and an tendrils to grab them with. 

It lashed out at Callum. He leapt out of the way, turning back to see Andromeda grabbing Ezran and pushing him back as far as the river would let them. Her blades were out glinting in the morning light. Andromeda prowled the space between Ezran and the blood creature. Skor was still as death some feet away her, his eyes reflecting the same intent. 

The blood creature leapt out at them, twisting and extending itself to reach both of them. Andromeda met it head on. Skor intervened from the side, his swords almost faster than he was. In the corner of his eye, Callum could see Rayla positioning herself behind it. She joined the fray, but the creature was ready for her, untwisting and retwisting itself to fend her off. 

Callum didn’t know what to do. 

If he had any ability with a sword, he would have joined them, but that was a bust and he didn’t know enough spells to do something that probably wouldn’t get in the way. 

No, no, he didn’t know enough spells to actually fight the thing. As it was, _fulminis_ was too dangerous with all of them tangled together like that. But he did have one idea that could work if the elves used the opportunity. 

Callum put his primal ball away and stomped the ground. He waved his arms and began retreating into the forest. “Hey! Ugly! Over here, I’m the prince you want!” 

The creature swiveled it’s attention toward him and pushed Rayla, Skor and Andromeda off of it. It went right for him and Callum hauled it into the forest, nevermind Rayla calling after him. He prayed they would use the opportunity to stab it in the back or _something_. Stupid, stupid idea, but the only one he had. 

Man, he wished he was better at actually running away from things. At least, he wished he could run faster just this once because he could _feel_ this thing on his heels. The hair on the back of his neck was standing on end even as he leapt over fallen branches and large rocks. 

The thing might as well have been breathing down his neck, waiting eagerly for a mistake so it could sink it’s tethers into him. Tethers that smelled like iron even from this distance. 

That, too, was how he knew it was so close behind him. 

Callum tripped. 

His heart stopped beating. The world all but stopped as he tumbled forward landing against the base of a tree that he didn’t have time to circumvent. 

No- 

The creature loomed. 

No, no, _no--_

It lashed out-- 

And it screamed as a sword split it’s chest down the middle. It oozed black red blood and it screamed and and yowled and cried to the sky in pain, writhing from the blade impaling it. The twists and turns it made were unwieldy even in that semi-human shape. 

In agony, it separated itself, retreating to the ground and fleeing into the distance. 

Callum hadn’t realized he had been holding his breath. He eyed Rayla’s sword covered in what looked like blood. He loosed a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. 

“You’re my favorite, Rayla,”. 

Her mouth twitched into a smile as she straightened herself up, flipping her hair over her shoulder. “You know other Raylas?” 

He gave her a little grin as he sagged into the base of the tree. “No, but you’re still my favorite.” 

-:-:-:- 

Anarr winced. Runaan didn’t let her hiss go unnoticed. 

“I doubt all that dark magic is good for your health.” 

“Concerned?” She quipped despite the obvious hindrance. “You were always a good commander. You used to check up on me after our missions.” 

Runaan didn’t put his swords down, but he didn’t attack her either. “You were my subordinate. My friend. It was my duty.” 

She swung out so hard a spark or two embered between their swords. “Your sense of duty ruined me.” 

“You ruined you, Anarr,” Runaan circled with her. “You forgot who you were. You forgot everything you were ever taught. And for what? Nevermind Moonshadow elf. You forgot everything that made you Xadian if this is what you’ve resorted to.” 

“Forgot? I never forgot who I was and it made me _better.”_ She snarled. “ _Better than you_. You know, I used to look up to you, but the years have made me smarter. Wiser.” 

They seperated and clashed again, the impact reverberating in Runaan’s bones. “Is that so?” He grunted. “Is this why you’ve resorted to working with humans?” 

“Humans, elves, they’re all the same.” She drawled. Her face fell. “They all bleed the same. They all die the same. But you would know all about that.” 

He said nothing to that and pushed back at her. 

His eyes flicked over to Callisto pulling up somewhere near him. “Runaan--” 

“Not yet.” 

He wasn’t ready for that right then. It was Runaan’s duty to face her. 

After all, Anarr was his failure. He would deal with her. 

Just as he resolved to do that, she let more drops of blood fall to the ground. 

-:-:-:- 

Morgan spread Anarr’s blood on the ground with a foot and recited a bone chilling incantation. 

Callisto was ready. Ready as he would ever be, at least. Xadians didn’t exactly delve too far into dark magic as a whole. It wasn’t their way and they had no need for it, but that didn’t mean that there wasn’t _a_ use for it as far as Anarr had found. 

The blood wafted into existence, more of a beast than a human-like creature. 

“Do you like them?” Morgan grinned. He was a strangely unnerving human for one who dressed unassumingly, the only mark distinguishable thing about him being a blue and white beaded necklace hanging around his throat. “They’re my own creation. It was something I taught myself when I was younger.” 

Callisto snorted. “They’re as disgusting as you are.” 

“But they’re so loyal. And there’s just no end to them as long as Anarr is around to provide the energy needed for the spells. You elves never stop to think of all that power you have coursing through you if you only knew how to use it.” 

“And you humans love your dark magic so much just to make up for what you lack. Some of you lacking more than others.” 

Morgan snorted. “Clever. I guess we could sit here and talk all day, but what good is that? I could cut you up and use your parts for a spell or two I’m sure. Moonshadow elves make for some especially interesting pieces of magic.” 

Callisto was ready when Morgan closed the gap between them. For a human, he was _fast_. Unnaturally so, even, and Callisto wondered who had to pay the price for that kind of strength. If anyone did. 

“You learn to be fast when you have nothing.” Morgan said, smiling in Callisto’s face. 

Callisto said nothing to the matter. He didn’t have the time nor desire to entertain whatever ramble Morgan was trying to feed him. Yes, Callisto has started off life largely with nothing. Not even parents who gave a damn about him, but he and this human were nothing alike. 

He was past that kind of stage where such words would have made him vulnerable. 

Callisto began to overwhelm him strength wise and Morgan separated, his beast hovering behind him as if ready to pounce on command. He pulled something out of his pocket and Callisto nearly froze at the horn Morgan now twirled in his hand. An elven horn. 

“ _Nellaf eht yb romra eht egrof._ ” 

The horn dissipated into some otherly substance and coated the beast in a translucent armor, then it coated Morgan and his swords in the same kind of armor. “Now, then.” His smile was slow. Confident. Savage. “You’re in my way. Let’s try this again.” 

They clashed and Callisto kept one end of his blade between him and the human and one end ready to swipe at the beast looking for an opening. He could feel it coming. 

Ready. 

Ready. 

The blood beast pounced and Callisto leapt out of the way, his blade swiping through it. Nothing. His blade faded right through it. Morgan almost seemed excited, his eyes widening in a kind of triumph as he lurched at Callisto. Callisto got up and rolled out of the way. Not in time. He yelped, a burning sensation tearing across his back hip to hip. His back stung, but he dared not reach for it. He dared not stop moving as Morgan began railing into him again, Callisto barely keeping up between him and his ungodly beast. 

He backed up, Runaan hitting Callisto’s back and did his best to ignore the pain that jolted through him. “We’re not getting anywhere.” Callisto let out a heavy breath, steadying himself as best he could. “They’re just trying to stall us.” 

“I know,” Runaan growled. The duo and their unholy beasts circled them like some kind of blood ritual. 

“What’s happened, Anarr?” Callisto tipped his head back. “Forgot how to do your job?” 

“Callisto, you always were stuck to Runaan’s side. Come over here and find out if I forgot how to cleave your head from your shoulders.” 

“With pleasure.” 

Runaan and Callisto slid past each other, lunging for the other’s opponent. He couldn’t see, but Callisto could hear Runaan reach Morgan, giving him a taste of what a real dual blade wielder fought like and Callisto rammed swords with Anarr. 

He pushed her and pushed her, his back screaming. Inch by inch she let up, but that damned blood shadow _whatever it was_ hurled itself at him and he leapt back. He was _not_ getting hit by that thing. One more blow and he was done for, probably. 

Still, they weren’t as vicious as perhaps they should have been. 

“What’s wrong?” Callisto gave her a rare grin. “Can’t have too many of those things going at once?” 

She didn’t answer him, opting for an aerial lunge while her creature went below. 

Callisto braced himself. 

-:-:-:- 

Runaan would have had the human cut in two by now if it wasn’t for that damn armor of his. And his beast jumping in and out of the frey. Fending off both of them wasn’t exactly an easy task. The human bled from his chest and Runaan was able to ignore the cut under his ribs that Anarr had given him. He had narrowly missed her impaling him altogether. 

“This seems to be a bit of a standoff, don’t you think?” Morgan simpered. 

“You’re an utter fool if you truly believe that a fair match between the two of us would be a standoff.” 

“I believe the match is fair. Dark magic isn’t a cheat. It’s a _resource_. The match is fair if only because I levelled the playing field.” 

His side was hurting him and Runaan had enough of this. He wanted this over with. 

“You sure do talk a lot.” 

Morgan froze as the blades at his throat pressed against skin. Ram wasn’t smiling, having pulled himself out of a shadow to sneak up on the human. Runaan had seen him, felt his presence and let him work. That was something Ram was always good at. 

Ram’s blade slipped over Morgan’s throat, quickly, precisely, but they might as well have done nothing. Only a thin slit oozed red. It was little more than a paper cut. 

Ram looked at his blades as Morgan’s beast leapt at him and Morgan himself backed away. “Nice little trick, isn’t it?” His strained smile did little to hide the irritation in his eyes. “It’s amazing what you can do with magic. Once you have it, you can transform it into anything you want, really. Bend it to your nature. But that lesson’s going to have to wait. _Anarr._ ” 

But Anarr was panting, her blood beasts coiling and wafting away. Runaan, Ram and Callisto made to surround them, but the beasts billowed the area with smoke as they died. When the smoke cleared, only the three of them remained. 

Ram put his blades away. “Mind telling me what that was all about?” 

Runaan put a hand on his bleeding side. It was deeper than he thought. He would have liked to know himself. 

-:-:-:- 

“You didn’t kill them.” 

Anarr sat against a tree, taking deep breaths and wrapping a bandage around her still bleeding hand. 

“Well, you went a bit overboard with the spells. I can’t have three of those things live and fight Runaan at the same time. You’re asking for too much.” 

Morgan scoffed, his chest was bandaged up well enough. “Don’t pin this on me. You _had_ them. You had the girl and, more importantly, you had the prince. Why didn’t they die?” 

“Good question. I could ask you the same.” Anarr wasn’t looking at him, but he bore holes into her head. She snorted at his silence. “See?” 

“You were ready to slaughter them. What happened?” She didn’t answer. “Tell me.” 

Anarr clucked her tongue. “The girl had a familiar fighting style. I was curious. I was right.” 

Morgan crouched in front of her. “So, he was the one?” 

“Yes, he was the one.” Anarr let the silence between them sit for a moment. “Now, what’s your excuse? You had the prince. We could have taken the girl together. While your questioning me, I wonder if you also let the boy slip through.” 

Morgan’s lips twitched into a grin. He made a noise. “You know I like to play with my food before I eat it. Like you.” 

“So, we were both playing a little too much, then.” 

Morgan rocked his head side to side. “I don’t think _too_ much. I didn’t exactly expect your friends to join us so soon, but either way Viren said he wanted them dead. He didn’t say he wanted them dead _quickly_. I don’t see why we can’t both have fun before we finish it.” 

Anarr examined her hand, opening and closing it. She winced. “You do realize we made our job harder for ourselves, right?” Morgan shrugged. “You have no problems with that.” 

“Not particularly. I like a challenge, too. And you seem to have something in mind, anyhow.” 

“I have things to decide.” 

“Like?” 

“Like how I’m going to make him suffer before I gut him.” 

Morgan raised delighted brows. “Oh?” 

Anarr said nothing for some time. She kept her eyes on her hand before meeting his gaze, searching and wild for an answer that would raise the heat in his blood. “They performed an assassin’s ritual. I saw the binding on their wrists. They’re racing against time. We can use that in our hunt.” 

“Good. Then, with enough time they’ll be at a disadvantage. Perhaps if we’re lucky they’ll panic when they realize they only have one hand to work with. Now, my next question: Do you have a plan?” Morgan asked. “One that we’re actually going to stick to, this time?” 

“Runaan is careful. He will run. So long as I’m close enough to snuff out his stars and tear his sun from the sky he will run.” Anarr looked into the dark, searching the shadows for an answer she knew she might never find. “ Let him.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this chapter was mainly action, but it gave you some big hints and a bit of revealing as to who Anarr is. Anarr, as you've read, used to be on Runaan's team way back when, but things went wrong. Things that are eplained in chapter 10! So, next chapter has some tea for you guys on not only Anarr, but on a couple of the elf squad too. And the tea is bitter. 
> 
> As always, I love reading those reviews! Honestly, the reviews you guys are sending are really insightful and thoughtful and reading each of them raises my spirits! So, thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	10. It Takes and It Takes

“We are leaving.” 

It was the first thing Runaan said when he dragged Callisto from the trees. Nobody debated with him. They were packed up within in the hour as Callisto and Runaan tended to each other’s wounds. 

In relative silence, they sailed down the river most of the day. Distance. They needed distance and Callum knew it. 

He didn’t have to ask to question why they weren’t stopping nor did anyone else apparently. Distance was the thing they needed most of all. If even Runaan sustained a wound like that then stars only knew how Callum would have fared. 

Doubtless, it would have been any sort of contest. 

Rayla stayed in Runaan’s boat, helping Callisto make sure his wound was healing. Not even half an hour down the river and he saw them all wince. One shared glance between Rayla and Callisto from the boat ahead of him told Callum everything he needed to know. 

“It’s their bindings, isn’t it?” Ezran asked him. 

Callum pursed his lips. He looked at Andromeda. She nodded. “It won’t be too long before the pressure begins to cut off our circulation.” 

“There has to be another way,”Callum said. 

Andromeda blinked at him, then nearly smiled. “There isn’t. We’re running from too many enemies to get to Xadia in time.” 

“Not if we go east now.” 

“No. Runaan is taking us west.” 

“West?” Callum frowned, twisting to fully look at her no. “But Xadia is to the _east_. Shouldn’t we be heading that way?” 

Their boat came side by side with the boat Runaan was on just as Callum finished that sentence. He kept his eyes ahead, not looking at Callum. “This is about keeping ours heads now. Not just our hands. We go west to the human cities where Anarr won’t follow us so readily. If we go east, she’s going to catch up.” 

“We need to shake her,” Callisto confirmed, a darkness in his eyes that kept Callum from arguing. 

Was she really that strong? He still had no idea who this Anarr woman _was_. Sharing a long look with Rayla, he left the subject alone. 

-:-:-:- 

They found another spot along the river to make camp for as the sun began reaching for the horizon. Even Runaan helped put the tents up even though Rayla wished he wouldn’t, but she understood. Their situation was a bit dire and sleep was not going to come easy. 

She could still feel the chills of the creatures Anarr and Morgan had summoned. The scream of the one she had stabbed would stay with her for some time. It wasn’t a scream she knew how to recognize. It wasn’t eleven or human. 

With camp settled, the fire going and fish that Skor had caught for dinner, they all sat in an exhausted silence. Runaan’s silence was a distracted one. She knew. She’d seen it before. 

“Runaan?” She ventured. 

He tore his eyes from the fire and looked to her. 

“Who’s Anarr?” 

They all looked to him, but Callisto only glanced. It was a long time before he spoke. “Anarr and I knew each other many years ago.” 

“She said she remembered me.” 

“It was a little over a decade ago. You’re were barely a child at the time,” He replied. “But she had met you a few times before. You liked her.” 

“But who _was_ she to you. She said I fought like you,” Rayla replied. “How would she know that?” 

“Because I used to be her commander.” 

The crackle of the fire suddenly seemed louder than it had a second ago. 

“Her commander?” 

Runaan nodded. Callisto rubbed his forehead. “She’s considered a kill on sight target.” 

Callum narrowed his eyes. “Wait, but if you used to be her commander then… what happened? Why is she trying to kill you now?” 

“Well, for starters, she’s trying to kill _you_ ,” Callisto added. “Secondly, that’s a complicated story.” 

Runaan closed his eyes. “I was younger then. Not wholly inexperienced, but not as tested either. I was still learning what were the right decisions to make. Anarr was on my team. My second, in fact. We had trained together. We weren’t exactly in the same circles, but we had known of each other for years at that point. Her fit on my team was natural and she was a good subordinate. She was reliable, skilled and was everything a hardened warrior should have been, but she was a good teammate. She had a strong heart.” He sighed through his nose. “And her heart fell for another on our team. An elven man named Leland. Their kind of relationship in a team like ours was discouraged. Not entirely forbidden, but it was not something that would be condoned or tolerated.” 

“You kicked them off the team?” 

“I let it slide.” 

The weight hit Rayla’s belly like a rock. A nervous feeling creeped into her limbs. “...then, what happened?” 

“I considered both of them friends. And both of them were good warriors, good comrades to have in battle and I had been through so much with them. In my naivety, I allowed it to continue. I thought them able to work through it. With it.” Rayla knew his next words. He’d said them to her but a few days earlier. “But I was wrong.” 

Callisto closed his eyes. “I’d been assigned to the team not long before. I was the youngest at the time, but Rayla you know that lovers may never be assigned to the same team, right?” 

Rayla nodded. It was one of the most basic rules. 

Runaan continued. “On our final mission together, we were sent to eliminate a human woman who had used a well crafted network of spies to garner sensitive Xadian intelligence and secrets. We had hunted her for weekss before finally closing in on her whereabouts. When we finally caught up with her, Leland himself had cornered the woman alone, but came back saying that she had escaped him. I should have known then. I suspected something was wrong, but I had never had a reason to suspect him before.” 

Ezran pulled Bait closer to him. “Did she use dark magic to mind control him? Turn him against you?” 

Runaan shook his head. “No. Leland fell in love with her. In the weeks he had been allowed to be alone with her, a bond had formed between them and he had let her go in an attempt to protect her. By the time I finally figured it out, Leland had caught up with her and wouldn’t allow us to complete our mission. He was determined to protect her.” 

Rayla gulped. “But I thought he loved Anarr.” 

“He did.” Runaan turned his attention back toward the fire. “And I killed him. Then, I killed his new lover.” 

Callum’s mouth fell open. “You killed him?” 

Runaan closed his eyes and for a moment he seemed to be gathering his thoughts. “Anarr never understood. It destroyed her when she learned the truth. I never intended to lie to her even though I knew she would scorn me forever for it. She had to know the whole truth. She deserved to.” 

“Wait.” Rayla shook her head. “If she knew that he had fallen in love with a human woman, then why was she so angry with you?” 

“She loved him anyway. Despite knowing the whole truth, that didn’t change the fact that she loved him. If anything, it only gave her more rage than she knew how to channel. We fought and I managed to subdue her instead of killing her, but the damage was done and Anarr’s career as an assassin was over,” Runaan said. “I was severely reprimanded for allowing the relationship to continue and would have lost my position had it not been for how I dealt with Leland and that our mission was successful. From then on out, romantic relationships between teammates was condemned.” 

Rayla could see Callum’s opinions on his face before he talked. “But why did you kill them?” He asked. “Couldn’t you have just brought them home? Imprisoned.” 

“It was my duty. My mission. My entire life had led up to moments like that.” 

Callum still shook his head. “It still seems wrong.” 

“An assassin doesn’t decide right and wrong. Only life and death.” 

Callum had nothing to say to that, but it still didn’t seem to sit entirely right with him. 

“What happened with Anarr after that?” Ram asked. Aside from Rayla, he was the second-newest addition to the team. 

“She expressed a deep hatred for me after that and they deemed her unfit for service. It was never completely disclosed, but the trauma had left her mentally unable to deal with the high stress situations that came with our missions. They couldn’t trust her judgement. So, they assigned her to guarding prisoners.” 

“Well, that sounds like a good idea,” Rayla raised a brow. 

Callisto shrugged. “Not our decision.” 

“And the months went by,” Runaan continued. “I was given new subordinates. Then, Anarr escaped with a prisoner she had been guarding. A human mage who used dark magic that had slipped past Xadian borders. Several teams were dispatched to find her over the months, but all failed. They either were killed or came back empty-handed. As for the human, he had been imprisoned for trespassing, but apparently had found a commonality with Anarr: a hatred for elves.” 

“A hatred for all elves? I mean, I know you killed her lover, but that doesn’t make any sense. Not to hate her own kind because of that, anyway.” 

“Doubtful it would make sense to anyone but her. Grief ruined Anarr. And she hated our world for rewarding me for killing the one she loved. She hated elven kind for making a romance between humans and elves something so contemptible. Who else was she going to blame? It’s important to remember that she was angry at Leland, too, but would never have a chance to confront him or even see him. To love him or to hate him. I don’t think she could reconcile that in her mind. Perhaps, to her, if he had been able to love a human all along then they wouldn’t have had anything for her to mourn over.” 

“That’s so twisted. So, she…” Rayla searched for the right words. “She hates the world and everything in it.” 

Callisto ran a hand through his hair. “She lost faith in everything that made her who she was. Her system had failed her. She had given her life to serving her society and it had only tore her future to ribbons. That’s how she sees it, anyway.” 

“But Anarr was her own undoing,” Andromeda said, but her eyes were on Runaan. “We have all lost someone that meant something to us. Betraying her own and turning to dark magic was of her own volition.” 

The elves chimed agreement, but Runaan barely nodded. 

“I lost Aelan, but I’m still here. You made a choice you never wanted to make.” 

Only Ezran was brave enough to inquire. “Aelan?” 

Andromeda smiled sadly at Ezran. “My brother. He passed a few years ago.” 

“How?” 

“Ezran, that’s enough,” Callum said not unkindly. He looked to Andromeda. “I’m sorry.” 

“No, it’s fine. I just- He…” Andromeda opened her mouth, then closed it as if the memory was too hard to articulate outright. “There are times when we lose people we love and there is no culprit. No one to blame. And we have to accept that.” 

Rayla eyed Callum’s crestfallen face. His brows furrowed and he whispered across the fire. “We understand.” 

He didn’t elaborate about it much more. Neither did Andromeda ask. “As I’ve said, many of us lose someone. It doesn’t tear us from the right path.” 

“Sometimes the right path doesn’t really feel like it.” 

They all looked at Skor. He hadn’t expected it nor had they expected him to speak and he looked at the fire as if to find any subtle comfort. 

“Skor--” 

“The right path sometimes feels the worst though, doesn’t it? Andromeda, you know that. You now how hard it can be to stay yourself.” 

Andromeda said nothing for a moment. Her reply was quiet. “I do.’ 

He drew his knees up and rested an elbow on each, fidgeting with his fingers as he peered into the fire. “When I lost my daughter it was like the world ended. And if it wasn’t for my wife I think I would have been fine if it did. At least, for me.” 

A sullen pause. Again, it was Ezran who asked, even quieter and softer this time, “Was she sick, too?” 

“No,” Skor said without looking at him. “She was murdered.” 

The air was stifling. 

Skor’s gaze fixed on the fire, losing himself to the dancing in the flames and hazel eyes welling with a sorrow etched with rage. Tired, guilty eyes. “She was eight. You know, I wasn’t even home when it happened? We don’t even know who did it. Never caught them. All we know is that a human did it and left her outside our house where we let her play after taking the necklace I had given her to comfort her in my absence.” 

“...how do you know it was a human?” Callum asked. Rayla’s breath hitched. 

“Elves don’t cut off the horns of other elves.” His reply was a numb one. He blinked. “But I suppose that it drove me here, didn’t it? Justice. If I can’t have mine then at least someone else can have theirs, but if the stars ever gave me to chance to drain the blood of whoever took her from me and my wife I would take it. Damn the consequences.” 

Silence. Heavy, world weighted silence. 

Skor muttered a pardon and got up to head toward the river. They watched him go. Rayla looked at Runaan. “Should we leave him alone?” 

“Not after today,” Runaan said. He looked at Ram. 

Ram nodded wordlessly and followed after Skor. 

-:-:-:- 

Runaan meditated by the fire long after the other went to bed. Andromeda stayed with him. 

“Will you be alright?” 

“I have to be. Are you?” 

Andromeda gave a curt nod. He knew that the answer was a bit more complicated than that. “So,” she started. “An elf hunting elves. What position does that put us in?” 

“A somewhat precarious one. Anarr is different. You know that. She knows most of our tricks.” 

“Our time is limited. If the binding tightens anymore our hands will be in trouble. You don’t believe we can circumvent her and make it to Xadia?” 

“She was my second and she was more experienced than most of us. Not only that, but she’s learned dark magic in this past decade.” 

“There’s also the issue of that human she totes around.” Both of them turned to Callisto joining them. He winced as he sat. “He’s different.” 

“You should be resting,” Andromeda said. “Is it your wound?” 

“I’m fine. It burns, but I’m fine,” Callisto said. “I just can’t really sleep. I might as well be useful somehow.” 

“I didn’t fight the human as long as you did. How is he different?” Runaan asked. 

“He taught her the dark magic she uses. And they use her as a power source. Not only that, but he used an elven horn to fuel his spells. That one isn’t a fighter exactly, but he makes up for it with his magic.” 

“He’s not a fool,” Runaan rummanated on Ram’s failed slitting of Morgan’s throat. His magic had protected him. “But we do know one weakness: Those beasts are borderline useless if there are too many of them around. Apparently, the magic feeds off of her energy. She began to struggle after the third summons.” 

“I wouldn’t call them useless,” Callisto gestured to his back. “This hurts enough to have a purpose.” 

“Is it at risk for infection?” Andromeda inspected him. 

Callisto shook his head. “I don’t believe so. It just stings, but I put some of that ointment on just in case. There are considerable healing properties in it. Wherever it came from, it’s certainly Xadian in origin. We should preserve what’s left for any injuries inflicted by those things as a precaution.” 

Runaan nodded. Andromeda looked off into the dark. “Is Skor alright?” 

“Ram’s with him. I would have, but,” Callisto hissed. “I earnestly don’t want to keep getting up.” 

“If they don’t come back in some time,” Runaan said to Andromeda, watching the dark with her. “We go find them.” 

-:-:-:- 

Skor had washed his face with river water three times now, but nothing. Nothing got rid of this hole in his chest that he’d been reminded of. He let out a restless breath, half a growl. 

“Are you just going to sit in that tree all day or are you coming down here?” 

“I thought I’d give you your space.” Ram dropped down from the tree at his back. 

“And yet, you’re here.” 

Ram said nothing. Skor didn’t expect him too. They both knew why he couldn’t be left alone. Why none of them could just be wandering off by their own grief be damned. Then again, it was times like this that Skor had to fight the urge to wish someone would put him out of his misery. 

He had to remind himself that his life wasn’t all bad. His family was waiting for him back home and so giving up on life simply wasn’t an option. When he felt a bit more pessimistic, he reminded himself that the bastard that had killed Iolaena was still alive. 

That was unacceptable. 

Ram sat next to him, letting the silence sit comfortable between them. 

Skor was the one who broke it. “I won’t be long. I promise.” 

“You can take all night if you want,” Ram said kindly. “I’m where I need to be. It’s the least I can do.” 

Skor snorted even as that hole in his chest stretched open, threatening to consume him. He croaked, “You’re so sentimental.” 

“Someone has to be.” Ram smiled weakly. He paused. “Would she have liked it here? In the humans lands?” 

It was a tentative question. Skor sighed and looked up at the moon above them. “Yeah… she would have been fascinated by everything. Outgoing lil’ lass. Never could keep still. I’d have my hands full just trying to -- to keep her in one place.” 

It was almost too much to think about let alone talk about and his voice broke. Ram nudged him softly. A silent apology. 

Skor just nodded even as his eyes stung and his voice went hoarse. “S’okay. She’s somewhere better now.” And having left her parents behind. Not to mention, the sisters who would never meet her. His voice broke some more, but he stifled the tears threatening to betray him. “It’s okay.” 

Nothing felt further from the truth. 

-:-:-:- 

Rayla was lying just under a tree when Callum sat by her, Ezran fast asleep just nearby. He followed her gaze, glancing at the moon that matched her hair. “Hey.” 

She tore her eyes from the sky and looked at him. “Hey. Is Ez asleep?” 

“Yeah, he’s exhausted,” Callum yawned. “I can’t lie. So am I.” 

“That’s good. He came to check on me earlier and he seemed pretty sleepy. You should do the same if you’re tired. It’s going to be a long day.” She raised her brows slightly. “A long few days, probably.” 

But Callum only laid next to her, settling into the spot without taking his eyes off her. “What about you? Don’t you think you should sleep, too?” 

“Can’t.” 

Callum didn’t ask her to clarify. “Yeah… I’m not sure I want to either.” 

“...what did you see?” she asked. He froze. She looked away from him. “I mean, if you feel like telling me. You don’t have to. I just figured since…” 

When she didn’t finish her sentence, he asked, “What did you see?” 

She didn’t answer. He didn’t press her. 

The silence was comfortable, but it told enough of the truths they’d seen. He didn’t know how long they just laid there next to each other, watching the moon as if searching for some familiar comfort. Each of them surely thought of home. Each of them wanting to grasp for that safety net that had been torn open. 

“Maybe we should tell each other tomorrow,” Rayla said so quietly Callum almost didn’t catch it. 

“Yeah. Maybe tomorrow.” 

-:-:-:- 

Rayla knew it was a dream -- a nightmare -- but she couldn’t stop it. 

Her mother was there. She kept repeating the words she’d said to Rayla. 

“ _You shame yourself_ ,” her mother said. “ _We always had to leave because of you.”_

Rayla never even got a chance to ask her what she did wrong when it changed to Lord Viren, his dark, putrid magic slithering from mouth, but from his lips came a voice that sounded like his own and Anarr’s. 

“ _My sun and stars_. _How young you are_.” 

The baleful laughter grew louder and louder and _louder--_

She startled awake. Again, cold sweat dampened her skin, cooler still with the night air. Not bothering to get up this time, she looked beside her. Callum was still asleep next to her. Good. Telling him about her absurdly silly dreams was something she didn’t want to do even if his brows were knitted together in a way that suggested his sleep wasn’t so peaceful either. 

There was nothing for her to be scared of, she told herself as she took deep breaths and closed her eyes again. Some bit of her knew that was a lie, but she kept trying to believe it anyway. 

-:-:-:- 

They left as morning broke. Not that they could tell much. Overnight, clouds had rolled in heavy with a rainstorm that promised not to take too long to arrive. Rayla looked displeased with the entire idea. 

“What’s wrong?” Callum smirked in good nature. “Scared you’ll get a little damp?” 

“You don’t know?” Rayla raised worried brows. “Elves can’t fight in the rain because our special markings wash out. They give us all our power.” 

Callum stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes widened. “Wait, are you serious?” 

Rayla stopped with him and stared at him for a long, worrisome moment. Then, she burst out laughing, bracing a hand on his shoulder as she bent over howling and a hand holding her belly. “No, I’m not _serious_ , dummy.” 

“She got you there,” Callisto snorted, passing them by. 

Callum frowned at her, exasperated, even if he did deserve it. 

She was still snickering when she explained, “Callum, they’re _tattoos_. They don’t wash off.” 

Ezran popped up beside them. “ _Do_ they give you powers though?” 

Rayla shook her head. “Nope. They’re just plain old markings. They’re given to us over the course of our lives. Some of us get more, like Runaan, and some of us don’t get as many. It just depends, but they’re not magic.” 

“Oh,” Ezran blinked. Bait croaked and Ezran smiled. “That’d be cool though!” 

Rayla grinned wickedly. “It would be.” She looked over at Callum still frowning and put a hand on her hip. It was her turn to smirk. “Oh, come on, it was funny. And you deserved it.” 

His frown slowly curved into an amused smile. He sighed, a dramatic flair to it just for effect. “I _guess_. Anyway, do you know where we’re going?” 

“West,” she replied. “That’s all I know. Andromeda, do you know?” 

“It’s less about destination as it is about distance. The farther we are from Anarr, the better.” Andromeda turned her head to look at them, she had a thinly veiled smile. “Nice comeback, by the way.” 

“Thanks,” Rayla smirked at Callum again, pleased with herself. 

This time, he just rolled his eyes, but couldn’t keep the smile from his face. “Yeah, yeah, alright. I had it coming. There, happy now?” 

“It’ll do.” 

“Runaan is still considering it with Callisto, but,” Andromeda interrupted. “It seems as if we’re making a detour toward the human cities. Then, if we can shake Anarr well enough, we’ll turn around and make our way east.” 

“To the Horn of Dahlia?” Rayla asked. 

Andromeda nodded. 

“But what about your bindings.” Callum frowned. “Your hands…” 

She pursed her lips. “I have no answer for that… as it is, the most important matter is the egg.” 

Since Callisto was a poor choice to carry the egg as of right now, Ram carried it in his bag. Callum couldn’t keep himself from glancing at Rayla’s binding, then her face that tried to conceal her worry. He wanted to tell her it was going to be alright, but they all knew that was a lie. There was no indication this was going to end with any way besides the loss of a few limbs between the lot of them. 

Still, he tried. Quietly, he said, “Hey, we’ll figure it out.” 

Rayla blinked at him. She squared her shoulders. “We knew the risk. It’s like Andromeda said. The egg is more important.” 

He admired her ability to face danger even as her eyes flickered in a lack of confidence. Her shoulders deflated slightly. “Besides, she continued. “I’d rather lose my hand than my head. That entire time I was fighting Anarr? She was playing with me. I could feel it, but I couldn’t do anything about it.” 

“Anarr is several times over more experienced than you,” Runaan said to her from his place at the head of their party. Callisto made a noise of affirmation. “You did well considering what she could have done to you.” 

Callum watched Runaan’s back as he turned toward the head of the road. They’d abandoned the boats after the river began diverting north. It’d taken a while, but Callum had began to catch on to Runaan’s way of speaking to Rayla. Beside him, Rayla nodded gratefully, her confidence returning just a little. 

The great expanse of forest eased more and more until finally it was clear they’d come upon a valley. Open and wide, it made even himself nervous. If they ran into a party of humans, blood was likely to be spilled and Callum wasn’t sure he wanted to see anymore of that. 

Their chances of running into someone, however, was mercifully -- or not so \-- diminished by the rainstorm that seemed to be swooping in. The winds picked up and it began to sprinkle, then it began to rain. No one was more grumpy than Rayla. Runaan perhaps was, but he hid was always at least a little grumpy. 

As if someone was watching over them and heard their grumbles, just as they cleared a hill, Ezran pointed down in the hill. “Look!” 

At the base of the hill beside a road, a wooden cabin stood alone. It was smaller than the Banther Lodge for sure, but it was big enough to foreseeably house a family. No light came from it, no smoke, no signs of life. 

The elves all exchanged looks. 

“Should we…?” Ram ventured. 

Skor, naturally, was very skeptical. “We ought to keep moving. Whoever lives there might be out. The road seems to lead to other settlements.” 

“Yes, but this bag is getting wet and the egg is going to get wet sooner or later.” 

“There seems to be a lack of maintenance,” Andromeda said. “It wouldn’t hurt to at least see if it’s abandoned or not. Besides…” 

She looked at Callisto. He grumbled. Even as his voice was tight, he said, “I’m fine.” 

All the elves just gave him a look, even Runaan. 

He let out a resigned sigh. “Alright, fine,” He winced. “My back is on fire. I could use a break.” 

Frankly, they could all use a break. Runaan didn’t even say anything as he led them toward the cabin. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo! Okay, last chapter of the year, but it's been a whirlwind! I've been incredibly busy helping my family get the house together for Christmas, so I will get to any and all unreplied to comments as soon as I get a breather! But this chapter revealed a lot about Anarr and a couple of the elves. I'll let you guys sit on those revelations and see what you have to say!
> 
> Guys, I really appreciate all the comments I get and love reading them! They keep me motivated and keep me writing! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	11. The Abandoned Cabin

The cabin was abandoned, but it had a chimney and firewood in the corner heavy with cobwebs. Everywhere Callum looked it was dirty and dusty and hadn’t been touched in ages.

The entire house, really, hadn’t had anyone living in it for what seemed like decades. Callum wiped his finger on the dusty chair near him. “Nobody’s been here forever.”

Rayla pulled down her hood. “Yeah, well, at least it’s dry. Careful though. Who knows what could be living in the nooks and crannies around here.”

Callum retracted his finger with a slight cringe. “Right…”

Ram began looking in cupboards and cabinets. “Do you think there’s any food around here?”

Skor snorted. “If there was, I wouldn’t be eating it. Who knows how long it’s been sitting there for?”

“Well, if you find any bugs, let me know,” Ezran chirped. “Bait’ll eat them.”

“We can also roast them,” Ram suggested, then shrank under Callisto’s glare. “Or not.”

Runaan said nothing, but he moved about the cabin slowly, examining each space with a critical eye. The walls were covered in decorations that Callum had never seen before. Decorations with an aesthetic to them that he couldn’t place. And he’d been to a few places trailing his father in diplomatic trips across the human kingdoms. 

Whatever was amiss, Runaan could feel it.

“We should search the place for any supplies that we can take,” Callisto said. “Dirty or not, if it can be used, we should use it.”

“Do you think people died here?” Rayla asked.

Callum groaned. “Why would you ask that?”

She rolled her eyes. “We have bigger problems to worry about than ghosts. I just don’t want to stumble on any bodies. Bodies mean things are probably infected around here.”

She had a point, but that didn’t mean he had to like it any better. The idea was… unsettling. He didn’t know how elves felt about ghosts or those that had passed, particularly what assassins thought, but he knew what he thought and it was not… comfortable. 

“Believe me, if something in here was dead, you would know,” Andromeda said. “The smell is unforgettable.”

Whatever Runaan felt, it made him quieter than usual. Stiffer. “Search the cabin,” he ordered. “Go in pairs or groups. Report anything you might find.”

Andromeda took Ezran and Ram upstairs while Runaan searched the ground level with Skor and Callisto. That left Rayla and Callum to take their pick.

“We should check if there’s some kind of basement,” she suggested. “There might be a cellar or an underground level in a house like this.”

He followed her lead and, sure enough, there was a door underneath an overturned rug in the kitchen area. It opened to a a stairway that led to pitch black. They looked at each other, then around for a lantern. There was one still with oil in it on a nearby table. After finding a way to light it, Rayla led the way with the lantern stretched out in front of her.

Just as they got to what felt like the last steps, the basement lit itself, light pouring like a room full of lanterns from stones embedded in the walls. The incident had Rayla reaching for her sword on instinct, but Callum put a hand on her shoulder. “No, it’s okay…” He didn’t take his eyes off the stones. “Look.”

Each stone was of an orange or yellow color and felt warm when Callum touched it. Rayla carefully approached one and looked it over closer. “These aren’t from the human lands. There’s no way,” she said. “You find these in Xadia. Some places use them for light sources. Not where I’m from, but I’ve seen them.”

Callum looked back up at the ceiling where the floor above them were decorated with things he couldn’t place. “Do you…” He shook his head. “Do you think elves used to live here?”

“Maybe. Maybe they were Sunfire elves. Look.” He turned to find her examining the workstation against the wall. Tools were still set out, covered in dust and cobwebs like everything else. He saw a spider skitter across and shuddered. She gave him a look. “Really?”

“Listen, you handle bugs your way and I’ll handle them my way. Okay?”

She looked like she was trying to suppress a smile as he tentatively walked to her side. “Look at all of this. These are tools you’d find in Xadia. I know these things. They’re old, but they look the same.”

She walked to the next table and picked up one of the necklaces that sat there, a beautiful stone wrapped in what Callum assumed to be Xadian silver hanging from black rope. Once it was around her neck, she spun with a grin on her face. “How do I look?”

Callum stared at her for a long moment. Longer than she had expected from her face. “Human.”

Her face fell. “That’s not funny.”

“No, I mean it.” His eyes were wide, he knew, but she really did look… human. Her ears were round, her tattoos had disappeared and were those five fingers on each hand? He blinked and rubbed his eyes. “Rayla, you’re human. You look human.”

“What? That’s imposs--” She turned to the mirror welded into the wall, special runes glowing faintly when she did. She froze and touched her face. Cursing, she grabbed the necklace off. Her elven features were suddenly back in the single blink of an eye. 

She put it back on and, then, was a human. She cursed again.

“There’s no way this was a Sunfire elf. It had to be a Moonshadow elf, right?” She turned to him, wide eyed. 

Callum shrugged as they stared at each other. “Does it matter? How many are there?”

She yanked open the drawer at the work desk. “A few. At least six. Enough for all of us.”

“I think Runaan needs to know about this.”

-:-:-:-

They took the amulet and met with everyone else upstairs. Upstairs, Ram, Andromeda and Callisto had discovered Xadian garb in a bedroom made for two people.

“All the rest of the clothing was human. Nothing we would see in Xadia.”

“Maybe they were undercover here,” Skor suggested.

“Or maybe a human lived here. The elven clothes were for a male. The human clothes were for a female.”

“They lived together,” Runaan said, examining the amulet. “A human and an elf lived here decades ago. Probably a Moonshadow elf considering the nature of these amulets.”

“Then, the amulets were for disguise,” Callisto confirmed. “They used them to live among the humans without trouble.”

“But what happened to them?” Rayla wondered.

“Perhaps trouble found them.”

“Or, the human died,” Andromeda said. “Elves tend to live longer than humans. Not forever and not by a whole lot, but our natural lifespan easily and commonly outdoes a human’s. If the human woman died, it’s possible that he simply left. Went back home. I wouldn’t stay here if I had no reason to.”

Rayla considered it. She had a point. Knowing herself, Rayla knew she wouldn’t stay in the human lands. Not even if you paid her. The lands themselves weren’t bad even if she did miss the vibrancy of the magic that came with living in Xadia, but she did mind being hunted by humans. She did mind being surrounding by them, essentially. 

She missed her people.

She missed her home.

“Do you think it’s right to take them?” Callum asked. “I mean, they used to belong to someone.”

Callisto answered him, “I think we have no choice. Using these would allow us to simply walk into town and get supplies.”

“With what money?” Andromeda asked. “Don’t forget. Humans are very strict about their money.”

Callisto cursed. “I forgot. Stealing is always an option. It’s not like we might not be good at it.”

“I have a little money,” Callum said, gesturing to his bag. “I found some rummaging through this bag. It’s not a ton, but it can buy us bread.”

Skor sighed. “Great. More bread.”

“It’s something,” Runaan said. “And Callisto’s right. We have little choice. These amulets could be the difference between wasting time foraging for food or simply buying it outright. Distasteful as it may sound.”

“What now, then?” Ezran asked. “It’s still raining.”

“Rest,” Runaan regarded them all. “Rain or shine, we leave in a matter of hours. We have no time to stay overnight.”

-:-:-:-

Callum found himself unable to rest. He’d found a spare bedroom upstairs to take refuge in, Ezran asleep on the bed while Callum found himself retreating to the nearby lounging chair when sleep didn’t seem to be his friend for the moment. Half an hour went by and he could find no peace. Not in his sketchbook. Not in his head. His mind wouldn’t let him.

He picked up his sketchbook, turned it over and began to write.

-:-:-:-

My Favorite Rayla,

If we’re both honest, I think you know what I saw. But… I want to tell you anyway. I saw my father. He was telling me that I failed him. That sorry wasn’t enough. Even if what I saw was just an illusion I think he was right. I couldn’t help him and now look. Where are we?

It makes me wonder if I even could have helped him. What was I going to do against a high mage? Now, I can only do what I can.

That all being said, the one good thing is I get to talk to you. That would be hard to pass up.

I hope you understand.

Sincerely,

Callum

Rayla didn’t close the book right away. She read it again. Then, once more.

She’d heard a knock at the door and when nobody answered her after she asked who it was, she’d found the book at her feet upon opening the door. Now, the bed she was sitting on felt a bit too open. Too exposed as she picked up the pencil left with the book.

-:-:-:-

Sad Prince,

It’s alright. Truth is, I saw my mother. 

She said some things to me. Like, I was the reason why her and my father always had to leave. I like to tell myself it’s not true, but it still feels like it is, you know? Sometimes, even when all the answers are right in front of my face, that feels like the only one that can be true.

Guess I’m my own worst enemy. Guess you are, too.

Yeah.

That sounds about right.

Also, I’m glad you’re here, too. 

I understand,

Rayla

A small weight lifted from Callum’s chest. He read the letter more than once before he fastened the book back on his belt and left the room. His feet were moving before he really knew where he was going, but it became apparent quite quickly where they wanted to go. Who they wanted to go to.

-:-:-:-

In the hall, Rayla sat. The rain pattering on the roof soothed the storm in her mind that she had managed to brew. She hadn’t written as many words as the last letter, but it almost felt like more. More than she had ever written in any letter to be honest. The only one who really knew how she felt about her parents was Runaan and that was mostly because he was there for all of it. There was no need to hide it from him.

They didn’t talk about it except when she needed to. After all, Runaan had always been there in their place. What did she need them for?

Yes. Exactly.

What did she need them for, anyhow?

Her parents were practically dead to her. It had been like that for a long time. There were many times that it hurt more than anything else life had thrown at her. Any punch, any kick. Then, she reminded herself that they probably had felt the same about her for a long time.

That’s the only answer she had anyway.

She heard Callum down the hall before she saw him, but he sat across the hall from her and she smiled when he said, “Hey.”

“Hey.” She pulled up her knees despite her smile. “We need to start figuring out a different way to say hi.”

He chuckled. “I guess… you feeling alright?”

She tapped her fingers against her legs. “Yeah. Just a little tired. Thanks for sharing with me though. I know it wasn’t easy. It wasn’t for me, that’s for sure.”

“You don’t need to thank me,” Callum returned her smile. “You’re pretty brave yourself all on your own.”

“I am pretty awesome,” she put her knees down and angled her head with a smug confidence. He seemed to enjoy it. Her puffed chest deflated though as a sincere bout washed over her. “My parents never exactly thought so, I think. They kind of always had somewhere else to be.”

“That’s what you meant by never really having them.”

Rayla nodded. “Yeah,” she sighed. “They were part of the Dragon Guard. Eight elite warriors chosen to guard the Dragon Prince and I was proud. It was an honor, you know. But… they never exactly seemed to think I was important either. They loved me, but I don’t think they were ready to have me when they did.”

“What happened to them?” he asked. 

A bitter taste coated her mouth. “They ran away. When the humans came for the Dragon King and his heir? They ran. Nobody even knows what happened to them. All we know is that they abandoned their posts and fled without a word.”

Callum’s eyes furrowed. “Rayla, I-- I’m sorry. For everything. Everything that humans have done.”

She eyed him for a moment. Nevermind that they both knew that over the centuries elves had their fair share of transgressions, but these recent ones… 

She got up and he almost looked worried that she was going to walk away, but she sat down next to him, instead. “I appreciate that. Even if it’s not really your fault.”

“That’s not the point though,” he pointed out. “I know that between our peoples it’s been a tit for tat, but there was really no reason why we had to go after the Dragon King except to gain power. Maybe I don’t understand everything, but how could I?”

Rayla rested her head on her arm and her arm across a knee. “Even though your father was a part of it?”

Callum gulped, his eyes trained on a spot on the ground. “Yeah. I can only speak for Harrow the man, but I don’t know what to say yet about Harrow the king.”

Rayla stood up straight. She raised her face to get a better look at him. That, she hadn’t expected him to say for some reason. “You know,” she started. “There is always the factor of the high mage. If your father had him at his side, then, it could explain a couple things. He doesn’t seem like a good man that high mage of yours.”

A smile ghosted Callum’s lips, but it still felt warm somehow. “Thanks. And you’re right, but I also have to deal with the reality that I didn’t know everything about my dad. It’s alright. That just what it is right now.”

Even as he said that, she could see the slight cloudiness in his eyes. She searched through it. 

“Well,” she said, nudging him with her body. “I think if Runaan was able to say he was a good man, then you shouldn’t worry about it too much.”

He looked at her for some time, a bit misty-eyed and nodded. “I appreciate that. You’re alright, you know that?”

“For an elf?”

“No, just… you.”

Rayla blinked. Then, she laughed. “Isn’t that my line?”

“I don’t know. Is it?”

“Maybe so.” She raised a brow, grinning even as her laughter died out. “You really are alright, Sad Prince. You’re alright.”

 

-:-:-:-

Andromeda carefully rifled through the drawers of the master bedroom. A decade ago it might have felt wrong and, truthfully, it still did, but if there were any other magical artifacts that might help them survive this trip then they needed to find them.

“I’m surprised you’re not with the boy,” Skor leaned against the doorway, examining the room at large. “Actually, I’m more surprised you and Runaan haven’t had an outright blowout about it.”

Andromeda snorted. “Hate to disappoint you. I’m sure it’s coming though.”

“You think?”

“I know his looks. It’s already something he’s planning to address sooner or later.”

Skor chuckled. “Thanks for the heads up.”

“Are you alright?” she asked. “After…”

“Yes, I’m fine,” Skor said, his lips tight. “I have to be. It’s not exactly a choice in the matter. And I’ve my ways of dealing with it. Don’t you worry.”

Andromeda nodded. She skirted the bed and wandered to the next drawer. Opening it, she found clothes for a man and a woman, each to their own side. She almost touched them, then decided against it. Why this drawer, she didn’t know why, but she left it alone and closed the drawer.

“I know I said the elf may have simply left if the human woman died, but… I wonder. Their clothes are still here.”

“Yes. But you’re not finding as many. And you’re not finding anything you might consider sentimental. Perhaps they had children. Perhaps their children used to live here.”

“Perhaps.”

“And you’re worried?”

Andromeda said nothing. 

“It was like this far before our time. You know that.”

“And how much longer will it be like this after our time?”

Skor sighed. He walked into the room and sat on the bed, his hands loosely interlocked as he watched her for some time. His eyes bore into hers. 

“What?” she demanded.

“Nothing. You just… you know. It’s amazing how you can do this job with a heart like yours.” Andromeda looked away. “I’m not saying it’s a bad thing. It’s mostly a compliment. You know, you’re the only one among us who probably could understand a human boy without ever meeting one.”

“Do you believe they’re really that much different than elven children?”

Skor shrugged. “Never crossed my mind, I think. I think I’m indifferent to humans if I’m honest. Unless they’re trying to kill me. Then, I’m not indifferent and I’ve met a lot of humans who want to kill me.’

“As have I. Don’t make it out to seem as if I suddenly trust and love every human. Because I don’t, but I won’t deny that there are innocents on both sides. Children, moreover, shouldn’t have to be involved in this.”

Skor opened his hands. “But aren’t they? Andromeda, when my daughters grow up, they’re going to need to know that they can’t trust most humans. Any human, really. Most want them dead. Just like most elves aren’t exactly enthralled with humans either.”

She sighed. He was right, after all, but was it really that simple? 

“I know. They’re the future of this conflict and it’s hard to escape that. I don’t even know what I feel to be honest. All I know is that I don’t want Prince Ezran hurt. That’s all I know. It…” She made a fist and placed it over her heart. “It feels right to protect him.”

Skor looked at her, that same look in his eyes that Runaan had on the boat only yesterday. “I’m sure it does.”

“Don’t.”

If he even breathed Aelan’s name she might deck him, but he put his hands up and stood up. “I’m not. We do what we must. And don’t forget who we are. That’s part of our job, too, Andromeda.”

“I don’t need a lecture from you.”

“It’s not a lecture. It’s a warning for the both of us. You think it’s easy me being here, either?” His smile was bitter. “I see every human and wonder if they were the one that killed Iolaena. If they knew the one who did. Then, I wonder what kind of person that makes me and do I have the honor to do this job.”

Andromeda’s mouth fell open, then she found her voice. “You are honorable, Skor. A bastard, sometimes, with that mouth of yours, but honorable. You’ve never strayed from your duty.”

“Well,” he rubbed the back of his neck. “Pray for the both of us that it stays that way.”

He waited for her to nod and clapped her on the shoulder once she did. When he left the room, she followed. She had found nothing in the room worth taking.

-:-:-:-  
Rayla stretched as the team gathered in the living room, stuffing away any still usable supplies. 

“I’m ready to get out of here. This place kind of gives me the creeps. And it’s really dusty.”

“Yeah, you could say it’s a place for the mites,” he chuckled, grinning at her like an absolute goofball. She just narrowed her eyes in question. “Because, you know, dust mites. Termites. It’s a cabin made out of wood.”

Rayla just looked at him, her mouth straight and her eyes unamused. Nearby, he could see Ezran just looking blankly at his brother. Callum shrugged. He thought it was funny.

“Anyway,” Rayla said, shaking her head. “Runaan says we’re heading into a city called Meraxia. Have you heard of it?”

“Meraxia?” Callum frowned. “I’ve been there. It’s probably the richest city in Katolis. My father took us there a couple times for a diplomatic visit.”

“They get almost everywhere by boat,” Ezran added. Bait croaked after him. “Bait loves it there.”

Callum put his hand up in question. “Wait. Why are we going in the city though? Isn’t that a bit far in?”

“Anarr hasn’t stopped trailing us.,” Runaan said. “ I doubt she’s far behind, but she’s no fool. She won’t just waltz into a human city and it’ll be easier for us to lose her there.”

“Okay, but we’re just waltzing into a human city. And, no offense, but you guys aren’t exactly human.” Runaan only shook his head at him and Callum cocked his own. Then, it came back to him. He snapped his fingers. “We’re using those amulets, aren’t we?”

Runaan nodded. “We have little choice.”

“I forgot about those,” he said more to Rayla than to anyone else.

“It’ll be… interesting,” Rayla said, looking at her amulet. Her eyes flicked to him. “Though I bet I look more normal to you as a human, huh?”

Callum raised a brow. “Not… really. It’s weird to see you without the horns and tattoos, actually. Not to mention, the pointy ears.”

Rayla smirked in reply. “I think that’s the right answer.”

“Good because it’s the only one I’m giving you. You’re perfect as an elf.”

And he meant that. She opened her mouth to say something, but the rest of the team was filling out the door and Runaan was calling for Rayla. A smile and a nudge to his chest was the only response she got to give him before the two of them followed the team out the door.

“You know,” he heard Ezran say as they closed the door. “This place is kind of a bit of history, you know?”

“Why do you say that, Ezran?” Andromeda asked.

“I don’t know. I guess it just reminds me that humans and elves didn’t use to be so separate, you know?”

Andromeda seemed surprised by that and she glanced up at Runaan. Callum caught Runaan sparing him a glance as well.

-:-:-:-

“Runaan? What’s the matter?” Rayla asked when she caught up with him.

Mercifully, it’d stopped raining. Even if the ground was wet, that was still better than being rained on. “Nothing,” he said. “I just wanted to see if you were alright after fighting Anarr. I know she wasn’t what you were expecting.”

Rayla squared her shoulders. “An assassin should be ready for anything.”

He smiled faintly. “You are correct. And you fought well against her, but I know she was a rattling opponent for you to face.”

“Well.” If she thought about it, Anarr had been very unexpected. Unexpected and… she would only admit it to herself, but somewhat terrifying. “She knew how to counter me at every turn.”

“I taught you and she fought with me. If you ever come to blows with her again, you must learn to think outside the box. You’re good at that. Think beyond what we’ve trained for and don’t try to beat her. Live. You’re experienced, but you’re not on her level yet. Don’t try to bite off more than you can chew. Understand?”

“I understand.”

“Good.”

She didn’t know what made the question blurt out of her mouth, but she asked, “Runaan, am I anything like Anarr?”

He frowned and looked down at her as they walked side by side. “No. You’re not,” he said. “Not at all.”

“Then why did she say it? Why did she talk to me as if she knew exactly where I was headed?” That, Rayla could admit, bothered her. She had buried it up until now, but the feeling apparently decided to rear its ugly head. “She sounded so sure.”

“Anarr may see herself in you, but that doesn’t mean you are her. She was young, once. Younger and naive. Compared to her you are all of those things and her bitterness marrs her worldview. She sees nothing of the good that you are because of what you’ve had to overcome. She knows nothing about you.”

“You mean my parents.”

“I do. And everything that you have achieved so far in spite of it is why you are here now. Anarr does not understand that or see that. So, no matter what she says, you remember who you are,” he said firmly. “You know who you are, Rayla.”

She heard the words behind that. The certainly.

Her eyes could have stung if she didn’t blink a few times. “I do. And I’m nothing like her.”

Runaan nodded and they didn’t say anything else for some time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this chapter was a bit transitionary, but I'm nearly done with chapter 12 and that's where a lot of you have been waiting for, you know, the goods to start. I've been working my way to Meraxia as it's been kind of my short term goal with this fic. So, keep those comments coming guys because they're really helping me in those times when writing can be hard. Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	12. Meraxia

Meraxia was a city of wonder. Of light. 

And of water, to Rayla’s great chagrin. The idea of going everywhere by boat seemed to dismay her once she realized that’s what it would mean for her. With her necklace on, Rayla appeared human to everybody else, but Callum was thankfully spared from having to adjust to that. Having one of those amulets on himself apparently allowed him to see past the magic. And he preferred it, seeing her -- truly her -- in the light of the city against the waterways.

The walkways, buildings and bridges were built out of smooth stone. Other buildings were built out of wood. Everywhere they wandered boats floated up and down the canals, men taking coin for a ride on some of them. The richest had their own boats and travelled the widest waterways.

Callum remembered the city well. The pastries here had been some of Ezran’s favorite and Callum himself fancied the museum in the part of the city that wasn’t among the canals. For Meraxia was situated on a scenic piece of land where part of the city was built along canals and the other half, built around a waterfall, settled for stone pavements and horse and carriage as their main mode of transportation.

That was partially why the city was considered one of fantasy. One of dreams and rendezvous’.

One where people often found themselves finding something under the moonlight. Callum had once even dreamt that he could have taken Claudia here. Maybe she would have that special something with him.

Now, he laughed at himself for ever coming up with the idea. If only he had known what was in store for him.

“Everywhere?” 

Callum laughed at Rayla’s face. She looked so uncomfortable as they passed people who paid them no attention. For elves, the team seemed to have every confidence in acting like they belonged. 

“Well, not everywhere,” Callum explained, leaning in to point in the direction they were looking at. “If you keep going this way, you’re going to get to the part of the city where the canals end. Near the waterfall.”

“We should go there.”

“It’s also the more expensive part of the city. The richer population live in that area. That’s where our family used to stay at.”

“So.” Rayla crossed her arms over her chest. “Where exactly are we going?”  
“There’s an inn I know of that we can afford, I’m sure.” Scavenging the cabin had resulted in a few more coins than when they went in with. Callum looked back at the pack behind him. “We’re only staying for a couple nights, right?” 

Runaan nodded. “Only long enough to shake Anarr. No longer.”

“Do we have that much time?” Skor asked.

It was only earlier that morning that their bindings had tightened again. At this point, the next step was to wait long enough for their hands to fall off. Unless they found a solution to it. He hadn’t said anything, but Callum had searched all through his book of runes that perhaps, maybe, he could find something to reverse its effects. 

“Elven magic is different than human magic,” Callisto said when he’d caught him rifling through his book yesterday. How Callisto knew what he was doing, Callum didn’t know nor did he ever ask. The guy just seemed to know things. “A rune isn’t going to undo it.”

Since then, Callum had only looked in his spare time, but he still couldn’t entirely accept that fact lying down. He didn’t know why, but it just seemed wrong for that to be the end of it. 

He glanced at Rayla. She was looking suspiciously at the water as if it were going to grab her and pull her in.

“It’s just regular water,” he whispered to her. “It’s not going to do anything to you.”

She elbowed him. “I know that.”

He bit back a smile. Her pout made him wonder if she was sure about that. 

They turned the corner and Callum immediately recognized the street. A street of wooden buildings and narrow canals, but it was inconspicuous with a look to it where most patrons would barely glance twice at it. Down the street, there was a shack. He recognized that, too, and the building beside it.

“Okay, just wait here,” he said to them. “I’ll be right back. I’m going to see if they have a vacancy.”

-:-:-:-

The inn office was shabby as was the counter and the keeper sitting at it. 

“Can I help you?” the innkeeper asked without looking up from his papers.

“I was just curious if you had a room available?”

“Not a room exactly. More like a house. How many you housing? This here’s only for people with good money.”

Callum dug in his pocket. “Well, I’ve got this much. Is it enough?”

The innkeeper made a face at the few coins Callum put on the desk. He hadn’t wanted to dish out all of it. After all, they needed to buy food with it and any other emergency supplies. “This it?”

Callum pulled on empty pockets. “It’s all I’ve got. What’s your price?”

“Higher than this, but I have a feeling you don’t got it, anyway.”

“Listen, I’ve got seven people out there who’ve just come into the city for the first time and we just need a place to stay for a night or two. Do you think this can buy us that? If you want, we can do some work around the place for you.”

The innkeeper rubbed the stubble on his chin. He looked over the money thoughtfully. “Any of you know how to fix a floor board?”

“I’m sure there’s one of us that can. Five of them are… travellers. They have a lot of skills between them.”

“Well, there’s a loose floorboard in there. In the kitchen. You fix it for me and I can give you two nights with this. Three if you manage to fix the hole in the wall behind the painting in there. Deal?” The innkeeper held out his hand, an old smile somewhere in that tired face.

Two nights was all they needed. Callum shook his hand. “Deal.”

Outside, he approached the team with two thumbs up. 

“You got it?” Rayla asked.

“Two nights. But I didn’t give him enough money, so, there’s one condition.”

“And what’s that?” That was Runaan.

“There’s a floorboard loose in the kitchen. If we fix it, we’re welcome to stay for two nights. Three if we manage to fix the hole in the wall behind a painting in there. Anybody know if they can do that?”

Skor scoffed and waved a dismissive hand. “I can do it. I have kids. I’m forever fixing things in my house.”

“Well, alright.” Callum grinned, nodding at them. “Let’s get settled.”

-:-:-:-

For a cheap place, the house beside the innkeeper’s office was actually… quite nice. It was a bit shabby, wood for floorboards and walls that once were white, now beige. A coffee table sat over the pastel green rug and between benches and chairs for sitting. There was a short stairway that led up through an archway and into the kitchen across from the main entrance. Just before it on the right, a set of wooden stairs led to the second floor.

Callum scratched his head. “Not bad.”

“It’s… nice,” Rayla looked up at the ceiling that also had a small hole in it. She could see through to the next floor. “Enough. Kind of.”

“Listen, I know it’s not the best and it could use some work, but unless you know of a better place this is what we really have to work with right now.” 

He had a feeling she would have rathered sleep outside. 

“It could use a lot of work,” Skor was looking the house over. “These walls haven’t been cleaned in a while either.”

Andromeda came from downstairs. “There are four bedrooms. We’re going to need to bunk, but everybody has a bed if they so choose.”

“There’s also the benches,” Ram pointed out. “If we still want to keep watch at night.”

“We shouldn’t get too comfortable,” Runaan said to them all. “We’re in a human city. We need to be on our guard with or without these amulets. We don’t know how long this magic may last.”

The team all shared looks. They hadn’t thought of that one.

After ten or so minutes of looking through the house, Skor came from the kitchen to report the damage. The house had more than a floorboard loose, but he could fix what was asked of them no sweat. It could be done by the afternoon if he started tomorrow morning. He was just going to need the proper tools for it. A hammer, a couple nails. Callum went next door to see if any of that was available, but the innkeeper pointed out that’s exactly what it hadn’t been done yet. He had no tools to otherwise use although Callum had a feeling he also had no patience. 

Skor rolled his eyes when Callum came back. “Of course. Humans. Can’t even be bothered to do the most basic of tasks, sometimes. I’ll need to go into the city, then, and get some. And something to cover up that whole in the wall if we’re wanting to stay a third night.”

“We don’t have a lot left,” Callum said looking in his bag and counting what money they had left. “Maybe just enough for your tools and a bit of supplies.”

“We should actually see what will be most useful to us before we spend it, then,” Callisto said.

“So.” Ram scratched the back of his head. “Are we all going into the city, then?”

“Well, we might not all want to go.” Callum jerked his thumb at Ezran. “Ez here isn’t immediately recognizable in these parts, but there’s still the risk of someone knowing it’s him. Since he’s the crown prince, technically.”

King, Callum realized.

Ezran should have been king. Would have been had they not been marked for death by Lord Viren.

“I will stay here with him,” Andromeda volunteered. Runaan looked like he had expected as much. “I can also keep an eye out on things here. Guard what we do have just to be on the safe side.”

Runaan took a heartbeat too long to nod. “Then, it’s decided.”

“Okay, then.” Rayla crossed her arms. “Now, does anyone actually know how to get to the market square?”

-:-:-:-

The city was okay, but Rayla still wasn’t comfortable and that wasn’t helping things. 

Not to mention, did they really have to stay in the side of town where they had to take a boat everywhere? How did this mission end up involving so much water anyway?

What was even more unnerving was the fact that she could see the rest of her team as elves, but the rest of the world couldn’t. It was an adjustment to remember that. To pray it stayed like that.

In spite of all that, she shoved down her nerves. They were still performing their mission, after all. She couldn’t be worried all over the place about these things in a time like this. It was time to be serious. Still, she tugged her cloak around her.  
So many humans. 

“It’s nice once you get past all the people,” Callum said to her quietly. 

Rayla smiled. “Yeah… just a lot of people to get used to.”

“Humans?” he whispered.

She didn’t nod right away.

“It’s okay,” he said. “I don’t blame you.”

“It’s not you. It’s just a strange place, you know?”

And everytime the idea of a human came to her mind the first thing she saw behind her eyes was that high mage and a vicious chill went down her spine. Her second image was much less unwelcome, however. She looked at Callum eyeing the boats in the water.

“We’ll get to the market faster if we use the gondolas.”

“Don’t those cost money?” Ram asked.

“Not if you ask the right person. Especially in this part of town. Most people are willing to bargain for a ride.” Callum looked around for a moment and walked up a group of men lounging near a line of boats. “How much so my friends and I here can get to the market?”

“Depends,” one of them said. The man looked him over. “What you got, kid?”

Callum reached into his bag and knew exactly what to pull out. The loaf of bread was hard, stale and otherwise only good maybe if put into a soup, but it was still something. He only knew of this part of town not so much because of the brief tour he was given as a child with his parents, but because he had gotten lost on those tours. One look too many, a step too far and suddenly he was lost. Thankfully, he’d been found in a matter of hours, but that day had been… enlightening he supposed was the word. “How about this?”

The gondolier immediately frowned upon being handed the bread. He even raised his brows hitting it against his hand gave Callum a face that made it clear he wasn’t sure if it was satisfactory. “...what else you got?”

Alright, fair. A loaf of bread probably wasn’t very convincing for a ride to the market. Callum added two silver coins to the payment. That, apparently, was finally enough.

The gondolier exchanged looks with his fellows. They shrugged. Dinner and maybe dinner later seemed to please them well enough, “Fine. Hop in. We’ll take you where you want to go.”

The team filed into the boats. Callisto, Skor and Ram in one boat and Runaan, Andromeda and Ezran on another.

When Rayla didn’t join him approaching the gondola, Callum turned back to look at her.

-:-:-:-

Callum raised a brow at the reluctance probably written all across her face. She stood away from them as the gondolier stepped into it and didn’t move when Callum gestured for her to come along. ‘Aren’t you coming?”

She said nothing. Her muscles moved to step toward him. It was just a boat ride down the canal. With a human stranger steering. It was fine.

It was fine.

It would be fine and she was being silly.

Then, she caught a look at the human’s face and her eyes flickered over the boat in the water and her foot would not move. Whatever caution inside of her was flaring up more than she had ever felt it in a while.

Since--

She shook her head. Perhaps it wasn’t caution, but cowardice. The time she took standing there began to stretch into unusual territory. Her face was warm all of a sudden.

Callum walked over to her. Great. He was going to think she was being stupid. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing,” she whispered back. He wasn’t convinced. “I just don’t trust them.”

By some gesture of mercy, he seemed to understand she wasn’t just talking about the gondoliers.

His face was fixed in that way that meant he was thinking hard about something, then his eyes lit up and he smiled. He went back to the boat and whispered something in the gondolier’s ear, pushing an extra silver coin in his hand. The gondolier looked down at it, shrugged, then handed the paddle off to Callum and walked off.

Rayla blinked.

He offered his hand to her and she numbly, passively walked over to him and let him guide her into the boat. When she sat down, he put the paddle in the water. She asked no question.

She didn’t have to, her eyes big as saucers as he pushed off into the canal. Kindly, he said, “Don’t trust them. Just trust me.”

Rayla cocked her head.

Was it odd that she… kind of already did?

She wasn’t sure.

-:-:-:-

Callum paddled the boat despite the fact that he never exactly… done this before. It wasn’t easy either. More than once he nearly collided with someone, but it was still worth it in his opinion. Despite his ineptitude at this -- he now wondered what the gondolier must have thought of him and his request -- Rayla didn’t seem that nervous anymore.

He didn’t want her to feel as if the world was closing in on her. That was what their last couple of weeks had been like for him. He’d come closer to death than he ever had in his entire nearly fifteen years of life and she had been there to prevent that.

Protect him.

It was only fair, only right, that he at least try to shoulder a little bit of the world so she could have some room to breathe. Even if it meant steering this gondola he had no idea how to steer. 

Thing was, he found himself wanting to do that for her. Be in this position.

Thank goodness these canals were a straight shot.

The sun was nearly down by now, the sky a blue-black as the stars came out to play for the night. Overhead, the moon was a crescent, finally showing up after several days of pitch black nights. Around them, the lights of the city seemed to make it all glow just a little. Just that touch of light that was hard to expect in most places. It was probably the one place in the human lands he could truly say had a magical quality to it. That was what had made him wander off, anyway.

“You like this place.”

Rayla was watching him when Callum turned to look at her. He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck before remembering he needed two hands to steer this thing. “Yeah, I, uh, I guess I do,” he said. Looking up toward the parts of the city near the waterfall he could see but perhaps would never visit again. “The artist life here is… I don’t know. It’s amazing. Just everywhere around you from all the way down here in the canals to up there… it’s all so alive.”

Rayla did look around. He knew what she was seeing. Artists and street performers and people just living. Creating lives of their own without a care in the world. Callum envied them and he was glad for their happiness in a world that had as of recently robbed him of his own. “It’s their home. It’s what they know. Do you think it’s as magical to them as it is to you?”

“I don’t know,” he said truthfully. “I mean, you’re from Xadia, right? What does it feel like for you? Does it still feel as magical as everybody says it is?”

“Everybody? You mean humans?”

Callum nodded.

Rayla sat back on her hands. “That’s a good question. I guess I never thought about it too much. I’ve just always been there and it’s just how we live, you know?”

“And do you like it?”

She took a moment to respond. “I love it. So, I guess… I guess it still is magical to me. I miss it a lot right now. Never really been away.”

“All the time I spent out of Katolis was mostly because my dad took us along when he had diplomatic trips to take. I never really got too homesick, but I guess it was because I always knew I was going back.”

“You’re here now,” she said kindly. “It’s not home, but you can have this moment. Right now.”

“Yeah…” She had a point. He looked around again and saw an artist painting a couple near a small shop. Each of them looked happy. Content with their lives. “You’re right. Honestly, one of my favorite things about this place is that it’s not home.”

Her eyes softened. “It’s magical?”

“It is. Don’t you feel it? The way everything’s just… different in this city. A city is kind of where dreams go to become alive. And this is the one that does it the best because everything feels… everything’s just right and alive and good. Everything’s beautiful.” His eyes found her face again. “I know that it’s not exactly your favorite place to be, but when you look past the flaws it’s a place where everything can be something different because we want it to be. I like that. I really do.”

Her lips slipped into a soft smile, a warm glow to her violet eyes as she took in the scenery through all it’s peace of the evening. Her gaze found his even as she hadn’t turned her head to him all the way again. “You know, maybe human cities aren’t so bad.”

He smiled back and allowed that daze to serenade his attention away. To her. “Yeah… maybe they aren’t.”

In the glow of the lights that gilded the air with that beauty he didn’t quite have the words to describe, her hair took on a frame that softened her face the same way her voice had . He’d never noticed the contrast between the white of her hair and the darkness of her tattoos. Or how her eyes balanced it all, the way they reflected the light--

Their gondola jolted as Callum quite blatantly let it off course and right into the side of another -- mercifully empty. Rayla clutched the sides of the boat for dear life. One of the bystanders called after them own the way. “Hey, you gotta steer!”

Somehow, someway, the end of the paddle had ended up under Callum’s chin for him to lean on rather than actually being in use.

“Thanks! Sorry!” Callum’s face went red even as Rayla sputtered into laugh behind her hand. “Won’t happen again!”

The bystander looked more concerned than angry. Callum couldn’t blame him.

-:-:-:-

“If that becomes a problem,” Skor turned away from Rayla and the prince lagging behind them. “You get to tell Runaan.”

Callisto sighed through a growl. “Why do I always have to be the one to tell Runaan?” 

-:-:-:-

The beauty Callum had been referring to was the beauty of the moment. The beauty of content in the present. Rayla could understand that standing next to him as they perused the market while Skor looked for his tools.

He was just enjoying himself for once. Since she’d met him, she hadn’t actually seen him genuinely happy in whatever he was doing and she had to admit… it was nice. His laughter was contagious and his grins made whatever he was staring at a bit more interesting. If only because she wanted to know why it made him happy.

“See, these are pieces of metal that some people will find and they use fire to twist them around into little trinkets like this one.” He showed her an intricate one in the shape of a star. “You can use them as pendants or ornaments. The designs get really neat, too.”

“It’s really detailed.” Rayla put a hand on her chin. “It must have taken a long time to get this pretty.”

The artist at the booth thanked them. Callum eyed it for a bit more before putting it down as they moved on. “You know, when I was younger I used to think I could maybe sell some of my art here. Not that I needed the money, but just to see if people would like them.”

“I think they would. Your art is really nice.”

“Wait, you’ve seen it?”

Rayla blinked. “Of course I have. You always give me your sketchbook, remember?”

“I didn’t think you were flipping through the other side.”

Oh. 

Was she not supposed to? It hadn’t occurred to her not to. 

She cringed. “I might have… flipped through a few pages…?”

He turned pink. “How many pages?”

“I’ve seen your... mother?”

“Oh.”

“I’m so sorry,” she said. “I shouldn’t have looked through it.”

“It’s fine,” he said reluctantly, rubbing his arm. “I guess I don’t really show my sketches to anyone but Ez. Not really used to it, but… you really thought they were good?”

“I do. You’re talented. Not a lot of people are. I’m not talented the same way you are.”

“You? Rayla, you’re one of the most talented people I’ve ever seen in my life. All the things you can do? I wish I was more like you. Just flip around everywhere like it’s nothing.”

“Hm. Guess I never thought about it that way. You create though. I just kind of… do. Let me ask you something, if I wasn’t always going around, you know, saving your life doing all the flippity flipping you see, then what would you say is the best thing about me?”

He raised his brows. Hadn’t been expecting that for sure.

“Okay, let me ask you something--”

“That’s not fair. I asked you something first.”

He laughed. “Who said? Never said I couldn’t answer your question with one, right?”

She rolled her eyes, but gestured him to go on.

“Are you always this cheerful?”

It was her turn to raise her brows. What was that supposed to mean? “Cheerful?”

“Well, I just think a question like that is begging for trouble because you are Rayla the flippity flipping warrior. Why wonder what would have been the best thing about you?”

“So, you’re saying that’s the most valuable thing about me.”

“What? No. That’s not what I’m saying at all.” He seemed a bit amused by the idea. “I’m saying I like how you are. There are plenty of good things about you. Why pick just one?”

“Same goes for you. Your art skills aren’t the only thing valuable about you, but I like them. So, shouldn’t you take your own advice?”

He thought about it for a second. “Alright. Fair enough.” There was a bit of admiration with that smug look he got from time to time in his face. “Aggressive encouragement. See, there are plenty of good things about you.”

“What about you? What should we call you? A relentless flatterer?” she smirked.

“Excuse you, but I’m definitely all about reactive positivity.”

She shoved him lightly, biting back a smile. “Dork.”

“You could call me that, too.”

“How about I just call you Callum?”

It’d surprised him, too. They stopped and stared at each other for a brief moment. Had she really not been using his name this whole time? It rolled off her tongue like it was supposed to.

He ducked his head and she nearly kicked herself for making it weird, but he picked up something else from a nearby booth and showed it to her. “Rayla, what do you think of this?”

It was a knife. Small, simple, but sturdy. She frowned. “This?”

He put it down when the boothkeeper cleared their throat politely. Callum apologized. “Yeah. I mean, you’re so used to your weapons. Do you think you could use this?”

“Probably. I had to learn the basics, too. Be adaptable, you know.” The person at the booth began eyeing them suspiciously and they quickly moved on. Once they were out of his earshot, she went on. “I was expected to pass certain tests before I was allowed to master the next set of lessons.”

“So, this has been your whole life.” He was smart enough not to mention her occupation in such a crowded space. “Is it everything you wanted?”

“It’s an honor,” she said proudly.

“But is it what you wanted?”

She didn’t have an answer for him right away. After moments went by, she replied, “...I think I wanted a lot of things. And, in some ways, this was one of them. But time changes everything and I’m here. I think I want different things now, but somehow this still feels right. Like I’m where I’m supposed to be. Even if it’s not everything I wanted. If that makes any sense.”

“It’s not everything you thought it’d be?”

“It’s more like it’s exactly what I thought it’d be,” she glanced at him. “And a little more if I’m honest. Guess I’m not sure how I feel about all of it yet. It’s a lot to process.”

She was grateful for his simple smile and acceptance of that answer. Whatever it even meant. 

“Callum? Prince Callum is that you?”

Callum’s eyes widened and Rayla tensed. This was not the place to start a fight, but if she had to so they could get out of here in one piece then she would. But he twisted toward the voice, eyes still as big as dinner plates. Rayla followed suit, a hand at her back ready to grab one of her swords if she had to.

The man who recognized Callum was tall and dignified, his clothes just as well. A noble of some sort especially considering the servant who seemed to trail him. He was broad shouldered and dark bearded against fair skin. Handsome. Piercing blue-grey eyes set on Callum. “Prince Callum it is you. Why, I’d received no word that you might be in Meraxia. As pleasant as it is to see you, what brings you to my city?”

Rayla tried not to glance at Callum, but out of the corner of her eye she saw him shake the surprise off and bow shortly. “Lord Gallias. It’s good to see you as well.” His voice was straining with nervousness. She drew closer to him. “Just taking a trip away. You know how it is.”

Lord Gallias gave a hearty laugh. “Oh, yes, I do know what you mean. Palace life can be hectic. When I finally left your father’s council, it was a bit of a relief to be away from all that busyness. Who’s with you?”

“Nobody,” he said quickly. He grinned. “It’s just me. I… felt my muse needed a new environment.”

Lord Gallias blinked and Rayla touched Callum’s arm beneath her cloak, but the man grinned. “Oh, Harrow was a good man. A better father for letting you get out on your own. I know he worried about you boys a lot. Good on him for letting you take some time to yourself. After all, you’re a young man now, aren’t you?”

Callum nodded. “Nearly fifteen.”

“A good age as any.” Lord Gallias shifted his gaze to Rayla. “My apologies, I’ve been most rude. Who might this lovely young lady be?”

“Oh, uh,” Callum tensed. He put a hand on Rayla’s back and Rayla might have yelped if she wasn’t a relatively decent liar. “Lord Gallias, this is Rayla.”

Rayla didn’t know if she should bow or not. Giving him her hand was out of the question lest he realize she actually had one less appendage. They’d tested it earlier and it seemed to hold up, but the idea still made her nervous. She merely smiled at him and did a sort of curtsy. The most graceful version she could manage at least. It seemed to please him well enough. “A paramour?”

“A what?” Callum asked.

Lord Gallias laughed and shook his head. “Nevermind, nevermind. A bit too young for that term I suppose.” Callum and Rayla exchanged looks. They shrugged. Whatever that meant. “Now, since you are in the city, might you be attending my ball?”

-:-:-:-

“Ball?”

He didn’t know, Callum realized. Lord Gallias had no clue that King Harrow was dead. Not yet, anyway.

“It’s the two day ball we host every year to celebrate the founding of the city. You’ve been to it before, haven’t you? Then again, you were younger. Perhaps you don’t remember. I showed you some of my favorite treasures, didn’t I?”

Callum did remember some of that. Lord Gallias had taken he, Ezran and his father on a tour through his personal collection of artifacts, magical and otherwise. There were artifacts from Xadia and beyond, orbs and coins and sceptars and all kinds of objects made by elves, dragons, against humans, against elves--

Against elves.

“What time did you say that ball would be?” Callum asked. He ignored Rayla pinching him from under her cloak.

“Tomorrow evening. Oh, please tell me you might be joining us. It would surely be the highlight of your visit.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it. We can probably stand to make it.” Callum crossed his arms confidently. He could feel Rayla shooting him a look. Again, he ignored it.

“Splendid!” Lord Gallias took Callum’s hand in delight and grinned. “I look most forward to seeing you tomorrow evening, then. Tomorrow, Prince Callum.”

Rayla’s nails were a vice in his arm even as Callum bowed. “Tomorrow, Lord Gallias.”

Lord Gallias left and Callum let Rayla drag him away as soon as the man was gone. “What are you doing?” she hissed. “Callum, we can’t be going to some ball. Now, he’s going to be looking for you! For us!”

He pried her nails out of his arm and held her hand. She looked down at it. “Trust me, Rayla. You’re going to want to do this.” Her frown was an order to convince her. “Come on. We have to go tell the others.”

“Callisto may strangle you.”

-:-:-:-

In the end, it was Skor who looked like he wanted to strangle Callum. 

“Explain it to me again?” Callisto said after waving down Skor’s hissy fit. “What is it that this Lord Gallias have that is so important you need to go dress up for it?”

“It’s called the Scepter of Meridian. It’s an old artifact I remember that was taken from Xadia--”

“-by humans,” Skor added.

“Yes, by humans, but what’s important about it is that it repels elven magic. It’s Lord Gallias’ most prized possession.”

“Wait a minute,” Rayla raised her hands. “What do you mean it repels elven magic? Like, it’ll kill if we touch it? We need to know that.”

Ram nodded in fervent agreement. “That’s critical information.”

“Ell, see... I don’t know,” Callum grinned nervously, but he raised a finger. “But what it might do is get those bindings off of you.”

“No.” 

Everybody looked at Runaan. He’d crossed his arms and shook his head. 

Callum frowned. “What? Why?”

“It’s too much of a risk. We don’t know if it works and even if it did, we chose these bindings. It’s a dishonor on us to simply find a way to take them off as if they didn’t mean anything.”

Callum blinked. He took a step forward. Rayla took a step toward the both of them. “How is it a dishonor? You’re going to lose your hands. This way, you might actually be able to keep them. We can get to Xadia faster and safer. If they get any tighter, your circulation is going to get cut off. You can’t just let that happen.”

“We made a vow.”

“Yeah and now you’re purposefully not trying to fulfill it. Things have changed. Can’t you put it aside?” Runaan stood steadfast. “Can’t you at least put it aside for your mission?”

Callisto snorted. “Kid’s got a point, Runaan. Not to mention, this thing on my back isn’t healing as fast as I’d like it. If my hand becomes a problem I’m going to become a real liability and then we’ll be down one on top of being out of half our hands.”

“We have a duty.”

Andromeda stood beside Runaan. “We have a duty to The Dragon Prince. Runaan, what is more important, his life or our vow? Prince Callum is right about it. Things have changed.”

Runaan regarded her for a moment, considering. For a long moment, he simply looked at each of his assassins. Then, he sighed and eyed Callum. “Do you believe it will work to repel the magic of our bindings?”

“I don’t know,” Callum said truthfully. “But it’s worth a try, I think. If nothing else, maybe we can use it against Anarr somehow.”

“If nothing else, we can also return that to Xadia,” Skor pointed out.

Callum gestured to Skor. More pros than cons.

“It’s worth a shot,” Rayla ventured carefully. She looked to Runaan.

“Very well,” he said. She nodded gratefully. “What do you have in mind?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, first of all, I'm so sorry about not to getting to everyone's reviews! It's been a busy couple of weeks, but here's chapter 12! 
> 
> Meet Lord Gallias, the Lord of Meraxia and a fellow who loves his extravagance and his things. A place Meraxia does him good for. Also, hopefully you can got all that rayllum in there. Won't say too much because I've been hoping to get to this chapter soon! This arc is going to be very fun for me.
> 
> As always, guys you know I love it when you leave those reviews! They keep me going and keep me writing! I love reading them honestly especially those of you who leave these novel sized reviews, but every word from everyone is helpful! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	13. The Palace of Solare

The Palace of Solare was home to Lord Gallias and, his wife, Lady Eveline. An opulent thing, its dome shaped sparkling roofs and multi-tiered white walls of marble and limestone offset the glass windows, and three large glass domes characterized its towering appearance. Inside, Callum remembered vividly, was even grander with plush, beautifully woven rugs over the most pristine tiles. Where Katolis Castle was most certainly a castle, defense at the forefront of its purpose, the Palace of Solare was for beauty and a show of wealth. It felt like an impossible dream and Callum was a _prince._ A step-prince, yes, but a prince nonetheless. Few things left more of an impression on Callum. 

Except maybe Rayla’s confidence when she volunteered to scale the thing to the very top. 

“Rayla, are you _sure_ you can do this?” 

Rayla crossed her arms, leaning against the wall. She smirked, “Are you doubting my skills?” 

“No,” he said slowly. “I’m just worried about you getting caught in there.” 

Rayla scoffed and dismissed him with a wave. “I’ve got this down. I just get in, scope out this scepter and then I’m out, right?” 

“There are guards all over the place. This _is_ where Lord Gallias sleeps after all.” He told her. “Just be careful, alright?” 

Because of how public the palace was, there would be no actually sneaking in by scaling the walls of the palace itself, but the buildings _around_ it were forfeit. Rayla put a hand over her eyes, attention on her target. “I’ll be fine. You’ll see.” 

Andromeda crossed her arms, Callisto sharpening his tools beside her. “If you run into any trouble” she said. “Take care of them. Quietly.” 

Callum cringed. “But try to avoid that. At… all costs. Please.” 

Rayla smiled at him. “Stop worrying. I’ll be back before you know it.” 

He hung onto her smile to help ease his nerves as she leapt off the roof. 

-:-:-:- 

Scaling the palace wasn’t the hardest thing she’d ever done, but it wasn’t exactly the easiest either. She prayed nobody would spot the marks she made on the walls this high up. At least, not until they were out of the city. Rayla climbed through the window quickly, her hood up and weapons at the ready. 

Nobody. Good. She hadn’t heard any footsteps while listening just outside the window. 

She trod as lightly as possible along the reflective marble floors, keeping to the red and gold rugs that muted her movements. Callum had given her a map to use, but warned her that the scepter might not be exactly where he remembered; considering how many years it had been since he last was given a tour. 

If there, she knew the rod was in the west side of the castle, right at the top of the structure on the west side. West side, top floor, should be on the same floor as the glass-domed room, but not directly under it. And guarded behind a door. 

Rayla listened for any noise around the corner, moving on when she heard no one. She kept close to the walls, hiding behind decorative armor and large vases until the coast was clear. 

Left, left, right. 

She studied the map again. 

Yep, those were Callum’s directions. Left, left, right. The second left was a long hall, open. Rayla crossed it as quickly as she could just in case someone came around-- 

She dove behind a plate of armor as a guard came into view. He stopped, stared at the spot she was in, then kept walking. As he continued down the hall, she kept her eyes on him until he turned the corner. 

Right. 

If the walls were anything to go by, this Lord Gallias seemed to enjoy portraits of himself. His wife, too, apparently. Many of the paintings involved the same woman, who Rayla assumed was his wife. A woman with strawberry blonde hair, a svelte woman dressed in fine clothes with a heart-shaped face. Her blue eyes were the focal point of every painting, even if they weren’t meant to be. 

Ahead, the room opened and Rayla did herself a favor, climbing and crawling her way up a chandelier, just as another guard entered the round room. He circled once, then disappeared around a corner and Rayla fell from the chandelier, gracefully landing on the floor. 

She approached the double doors. Here. Callum said it would be here. 

Naturally, They kept it locked. She growled and pulled on it again. Oh, for the love of-- 

Footsteps. 

No time to pick the lock. She found her way back up to the chandelier and out of sight, just as the guard came back into view. Okay, she didn’t have _confirmation_ , but it was probably behind there. 

If it was his most prized possession, then there was no better place to put it. The guard circled the room, then slowed. Rayla squinted. 

He stopped. 

She cursed. 

Don’t look up, she prayed. Don’t look up. 

Don’t look-- 

Up. 

His eyes trained on her, widening at the site of her. He shouted and Rayla immediately descended upon him. No, no, _no_. If he made anymore noise more guards would come running. Were they too far to hear him? She hoped so. 

He swung at her and Rayla dodged. When she came up, her eyes widened at the necklace now laying at her feet. She felt for it on her chest despite its presence on the floor. 

The guard wasn’t stupid, his green eyes blazed when he took her in. Her white hair, her horns-- 

“ _Elf!_ ” He spat. “I’ll give Lord Gallias your head as a gift!” 

Rayla sneered at him. “Come and try.” 

Runaan would chastise her for her lack of subtlety, but she didn’t have a choice right about now. 

This might as well happen. 

He charged her, and she scuffled with him, meeting his sword with her own. This needed to end quickly. This had to end _now_. Every clash was too loud and echoed through the chamber. It was only a matter of time until the other guards heard and came running. 

And heaven help her if he did anymore _shouting_. 

Just as the thought ran through her mind, the guard opened his mouth and turned his head. The world slowed, and she saw the opportunity. She pounced on him, pinning him to the ground with his ribs under her knees and her hand over his mouth. 

He bit her when he hit the ground and she cursed. He shouted against her hand and bit her again. She ground her teeth in an effort not to yelp. 

Then, he threw her hand off his mouth. No, no, _no_. 

Rayla’s jaw tightened. 

“I’m sorry, Callum,” she muttered miserably. 

The guard opened his mouth. 

His voice died in his throat with a strangle as Rayla slit it. She pressed her hand against his throat to catch the blood, hauling herself, and him, off the floor with a strength and quickness only Runaan’s training could drill into her. He grabbed her hand, his eyes wide and full of hatred. 

The last thing she heard out of him was a mangled, “... _filthy elf…”_

He went limp. 

Rayla did her best to keep him, and his blood, off the ground; she snatched the curtain off a window, wrapping it around his throat to catch the blood and wipe off her hand. She swallowed hard, looking at his lifeless face. 

Another face would be in her nightmares now. She closed her eyes and sighed through her nose. 

Her job. 

This was her job. 

And now her job was to figure out where to put him. 

She looked around, placing him in a decorative chest in a corner. It was crude. Desecrating even, but someone would come looking and properly bury him. She could _not_ get caught right now. 

_This_ was what Runaan meant when it wouldn’t always feel right. 

It felt downright wrong, actually. 

But it officially marked the time to leave. She wouldn’t be able to find the scepter like this. Still, she tried to open the door, but it wouldn’t budge. Not even when she attempted to pick the lock, and she certainly didn’t have time to just sit here and keep trying. If this thing _wasn’t_ in there, it could take all day to look for it. But this was the best she could do with the time given. She climbed up to the chandelier, trying not to look back at the body she left behind. 

-:-:-:- 

It was instinct to try and keep her footsteps quiet, even on the rooftop where Andromeda and Callisto could hear her anyway. Callum turned and closed his book when she walked up to them. 

“Did you find it?” 

She shook her head, hunching her shoulders at his disappointment. “Sorry. No luck.” 

“You didn’t run into anybody, did you?” 

Her muscles stiffened, and she took a second too long to answer. The slightest glance and she already could see that look on Callisto’s face. “Say, what?” 

“Run into anybody,” Callum frowned. “You know. Guards? You didn’t run into any guards, did you?” 

“No.” Rayla shook her head, steadying her voice as much as possible. “I just couldn’t open the door and someone was coming. I didn’t want to get caught.” 

Callum sighed. “Well, at least there’s that.” He crossed his arms. She tried not to look at him, but she could _feel_ Callisto’s eyes trained on her. “But how are we going to get it if you couldn’t find it? We need to know where it is before we go in for it.” 

“It helps,” Callisto said. “This celebration. It’s a two day affair, isn’t it? We may need to use both days. The first night to find it and do reconnaissance. Especially for what security measures there might be. The second night to actually steal it.” 

“Skor will have to fix that hole in the wall, then,” Andromeda said. “We’re going to need the extra night.” 

“We’ll make do.” 

As they talked, Callum raised a brow at her and Rayla pretended to cock her head at him. “What’s wrong?” 

“I should ask you the same thing,” he said, frowning. “You okay?” 

She forced a smile. “I am. Just a little nervous. That’s all. Just, you know, really want these bindings off.” 

He blinked at her and for a dreadful moment she thought he would call her bluff. Then, he smiled and put a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry. It’ll work out. Besides, can’t doubt skills, remember?” 

Her laugh was genuine. Genuinely nervous even as he smiled and turned his attention back to Andromeda and Callisto’s discussion. 

Rayla felt sick. 

She felt even worse when Callisto approached her back at the inn and Callum went to check on Ezran. 

“So, where did you put the body?” 

“... in a chest. I figured they’ll find it eventually,” Rayla, resisting the urge to rub her arm. 

  
“You did well,” He said, then crossed his arms. “Now, mind telling me why you bothered lying to the prince?” 

“He doesn’t need to know.” 

“Rayla--” 

“He just doesn’t, okay? He asked me not to kill anyone, and I did. It’s best if he doesn’t find out. We need to do this mission right.” Even as she said that, she didn’t look at him. 

Callisto sighed. “Very well.” 

“Are you going to tell him?” 

He was already walking away. “It’s like you said. We need to do this mission correctly. So, no. That’s not my duty, Rayla.” 

She hated the way he said it. 

-:-:-:- 

Ezran ran up to Rayla when she walked into the bedroom. “Hey, look at the color Bait’s glowing,” he grinned at Bait’s plum glow. “I think he found some of that moonberry juice you guys keep around.” 

Rayla snickered. “Who’s stash?” 

Ezran shrugged. 

“Well, don’t let Runaan know. He’ll see it as a waste of supplies.” 

“Ooh, good idea.” 

“Do you know where your brother is by the way?” 

He shook his head. “I think he’s outside drawing or something. Why?” 

“Don’t worry about it. No reason.” 

“... say, Rayla?” 

Rayla looked at him. He sat down on the bed, his legs just too short to reach the floor, his face in a concerned, but oddly happy expression. She sat next to him and put an arm around him. “What’s up, Ez? Something bothering you?” 

Ezran seemed almost surprised by the gesture, albeit pleasantly so. He smiled warmly. “No, not really. I just wanted to say… thanks.” 

“Thanks?” she blinked. “For what?” 

He put Bait on the bed next to him; he took a moment, trying to find the right words. “I don’t know just… for helping Callum. I mean you’re always there for him and I know he’s been trying to keep everything together for me and, you know, he’s never really left me alone. Even though I never fit in so much at home. He’s always been my best friend, I guess. Kind of like my only friend. I don’t exactly have the easiest time talking to other kids.” 

Rayla found herself pulling Ezran into a hug. “Aww, Ez. You don’t have to thank me for that. We’re travelling together. We might as well be friends about it. I think of you as a friend.” 

Ezran’s eyes lit up. “Thanks, Rayla. That means a lot… see, I have this way with animals and it makes people think I’m… weird sometimes.” 

“It can’t be that weird. Plenty of people love animals. Ram does for sure. We don’t think he’s weird. At least, not because of that.” 

He hesitated. Trading looks with Bait as best as a boy could do with a glow toad. 

Rayla squeezed his shoulder. “It’s alright. No judgement here. I tried to sneak into your castle and kill you, remember? I’ve got no room to judge.” 

He pursed his lips, twisted his mouth as he fidgeted then sighed. “I... uh, I talk… to animals…” He cringed, one eye shut and the other on her. Regret flashed across his face. “I knew you would think it’s silly. I shouldn’t have said anything.” 

“Ez, no! It’s okay, I…” Rayla caught him by the arm as he got up. She didn’t think it was silly. Just… far-fetched. She’d lived in Xadia her entire life and never heard of such a thing. Then again, she didn’t know everything. “I just… have you talked to anyone else about this?” 

“Callum,” he frowned. “But he doesn’t believe me. He thinks I’m making it up.” 

“I’m sorry,” she said and meant it. He quieted, and she tried to think of what to say. “Hey, why don’t you talk to Andromeda about it? Or Callisto or Ram? Callisto knows a lot _about_ a lot and Ram knows about animals. Maybe they can help.” 

“You think so?” 

Rayla smiled and nodded. 

“Do you believe me?” 

“I…” Rayla sighed. “I don’t think I know enough about this stuff. You know? I’m more of a slish and slash kind of girl. I’ve never really gotten to play with magic except during the full moon. I’m not the best person to ask about this stuff, but I bet there’s something special in there.” 

He finally cracked a smile and threw himself into her arms. She hugged him back. “Thanks, Rayla.” 

“No problem.” She hugged him a little tighter. “I’ll be here if you need me, too.” 

-:-:-:- 

“Wait. So, he _can_ talk to animals?” Callum scratched his head. 

Callisto nodded. Ram grinned. From the looks on their faces, Callisto was about done with Ram’s fascination with the whole thing. “It’s not completely unheard of. Just not common either. It also depends on why you have it, but your little brother can talk to animals. We had him talk to a couple mice who live under the floorboards--” 

“That’s unsettling.” 

“And they were able to find a bunch of screws for Skor to finish the floorboards. Guess they appreciate him fixing up the roof of _their_ home, too.” 

‘So, this is real. All those times…” Callum looked at a sheepish Ezran, who was holding Bait as if scared of his brother’s judgement. Callum couldn’t help but rub the back of his neck. “Well… Ez, I guess I owe you an apology. I’m sorry about all those years. I was wrong about you.” 

Ezran looked hopeful. “You mean it?” 

“Yeah. I do.” Callum pulled his brother into a quick hug. “I should have believed you before, but I guess I have to now, huh?” 

Ezran laughed. “You have to be careful now. I might send those mice into your pants in the middle of the night.” 

“Let’s not,” Callum chuckled. He turned back to Callisto and Ram, Callisto in particular. “And from the sound of things, you guys have some kind of idea for this.” 

Callisto nodded. “These mice have agreed to do a bit of scouting for us. A ball means the palace will be crawling with humans. Entering through the roof may be too risky. However, if we can find an underground route, we can make our way to the top without being detected.” 

“Why not just go straight for the scepter once you find it?” 

“Because someone will need to watch over you in the ballroom with the other humans. You know sign language, yes?” Callum nodded. “I will signal when we are leaving so you can make your exit. As it is, you will be distracting Lord Gallias so he won’t go on one of his so-called famous tours as you call it.” 

“Yeah. He likes to show off.” Callum crossed his arms. “Alright. Sounds like a plan. But how are the mice supposed to tell you what route to take?” 

“They’re mice. They spend their entire lives learning labyrinths. They’ll be able to tell us,” Ram assured him. “And Ezran’s assured us they understand exactly what we’d like them to do. As long as we give them a block of cheese from the cupboard, they don’t mind. 

“I guess that could work. One problem.” 

Callisto closed his eyes with a sigh. “What now?” 

“I need a date.” 

“I beg your pardon?” 

-:-:-:- 

Callum could hear Rayla sharpening her blades as he knocked on the door. 

“There you are,” he said when she gave him leave to come in. “I needed to ask you something.” 

“What’s that?” 

“Can you dance?” 

Rayla stopped what she was doing. She blinked. “Can I what?” 

“Dance. I need to know if you can dance.” 

“Uh… sure, I guess. Actually, I’m a good dancer. Runaan taught me when I was younger.” 

“That’s great-- wait. Runaan taught you how to dance?” 

Rayla smirked. “Yeah. I was an active kid. It kept me busy.” 

Callum cocked his head, arms akimbo. “Hm. Didn’t expect that. Anyway, that’s great because there’s a reason why I’m asking.” 

“And that is?” 

“I need you to, uh,” He cleared his throat and could feel his face warming even as he started scratching the back of his head. “I need you to be my, erm, my…” 

“Should I make myself comfortable or are you going to spit it out sometime today?” she raised an amused brow, crossing one leg over the other. 

He grumbled, his face almost the shade of a tomato. He sighed restlessly. “Listen, I need you to be my date to the ball.” 

She took a moment to respond. “Your… date? Your, uh… your date to this… ball dance thingy?” 

He nodded. “Listen, I know it’s kind of awkward and you don’t want to do it, but I kind of can’t go by myself, since it’s like this special formal party thing and you’re not supposed to go by yourself--” He realized he was fidgeting with his hands. “And you’re the only one I can go with since we can’t bring Ez. Not that I don’t _want_ to go with you even though I know you don’t want to--” 

“Callum.” 

“But it’ll be over soon and--” 

“ _Callum_.” 

He froze when he realized her hands were gripping his shoulders. She was laughing a little. At him, sure, but the grip in his chest eased a bit at her little laugh. “Is that a yes?” 

“Yes, I’ll go. We have to even if you’re right. I don’t really _want_ to go. I’m not really sure if any of this is my thing.” He looked away from her. “But if there’s anyone I’d like to go with, it’d be you. Don’t worry. The two of us can handle this. Together.” 

He smiled at her confidence. “Together.” 

She went back to sharpening her swords. “So, how do I get ready for this party?” 

“Well, I wouldn’t worry about that too much. It’s a good thing you said yes because Callisto’s already out getting our clothes, apparently.” 

“ _Callisto?_ ” 

Lo-and-behold, an hour later, Callisto dropped a pile of formal wear on the table in the living room. Ezran picked them up as Callum stood beside him, both impressed. 

“Wow, Callisto,” Ezran said. “You have good taste.” 

“I know little about human fashion. But I know colors and I just took what was most expensive.” 

Callum had a different question. “How did you steal a set of robes and a ballgown _by yourself?_ ” 

Callisto shrugged dismissively. “I’ve stolen bigger things.” 

“He has.” That was Runaan. He eyed Rayla picking up the dress with a less than confident twist to her lips. “You’re wearing it for two evenings. A couple hours each.” 

“I won’t be able to _move_ in this, and there’s nowhere to store my swords. Unless I strap them to my legs or something.” 

Callisto immediately replied, “And if they spring open, you will cut your legs off.” 

Rayla grumbled, but Runaan agreed. “This will have to be something you do with finesse, Rayla. Your swords won’t be of much use in there.” 

“I know,” she said. “It just feels weird, not having them with me.” 

“An assassin must make do with what she has,” Runaan said, for the first time Callum had ever really heard, in a tone that was far more teacher than assassin superior. “Your hand to hand combat skills haven’t gone unpolished, have they?” 

“No, of course not. I’ve got to have _something_ to do when you turn my swords in to get touched up, right? Might as well punch a wooden pole for a few hours.” 

Runaan snorted. She grinned. 

“You just need to keep the humans and their lord distracted long enough for us to find the scepter the first night and retrieve it the second night. While doing all you can to avoid suspicion.” Andromeda reminded them. “Can you do that?” 

“Aren’t humans easy to distract, anyway?” 

Callum couldn’t exactly disagree. 

“You’re not wrong,” Ezran said cheerfully. 

“In the meantime, Prince Ezran will come with us to explain the route. Unless someone else speaks rat,” Andromeda said. 

“Oh, yeah, the mice told me they want you to know they’re mice. Not rats. It annoys them.” 

“Of course,” Andromeda said sincerely, putting a hand on Ezran’s shoulder in good faith. “We will remember as such.” 

“Wait, Ez is coming?” Callum frowned. “He can’t. It’s too dangerous. If anybody recognizes him, that’s it. _And_ they would drag him back to Katolis.” 

“He’s the only one who can tell us what the r-- mice are saying. We can follow them in the dark, but it would make the process quite a bit harder.” 

“Callum, I’ll be fine,” Ezran reassured. 

Callum wasn’t convinced. Andromeda’s eyes softened. “I will bring him back here. You have my word he will be safe.” 

They looked at each other for a long moment. At the beginning of this little journey, he might not have let that sway him, but… Andromeda always stuck to his little brother’s side like a burr and hadn’t strayed. If anybody would keep Ezran safe, he supposed it’d be her. 

“I still don’t like it, but I guess I don’t have a choice, do I? Just... please. Don’t let anything happen to him. He’s all I have left.” 

“I understand more than you may know. On my honor, your brother is safe so long as I have breath in my body.” 

If she was aware how Runaan was eyeing her, she pointedly ignored it. 

“She means it, Callum,” Ezran said seriously. “I trust her.” 

“I guess I’ll have to,” Callum sighed with some relief and some resignation. He nodded gratefully. “Thank you.” 

Andromeda put a fist to her chest. He believed her. 

-:-:-:- 

The blowout between her father and General Amaya was something to behold, according to Soren. Naturally, Claudia’s father wasn’t willing to relinquish the title of Lord Protector of the Realm. Not when the Xadian threat was hot on their heels. 

Naturally, they could see this, right? 

If Xadia knew they were without a leader, it would be the perfect opportunity for them to attack, this situation left them too vulnerable. Which was why Soren reported how the elves had taken the princes lives. Normally, Soren was a blockhead. Her loveable goof of a blockhead brother, but a blockhead nonetheless. This time, however, Claudia agreed with his decision. 

Their father also approved. 

“This gives us time to take care of… loose ends,” her father said. “You two will pursue the princes.” 

“And bring them home,” Claudia said confidently. “Don’t worry, Dad. We can do this.” 

“No.” 

It was a cold word. A single, cold word. Ever since the king had died, something seemed to have died in him as well. A small spark. And something chilling had been left behind. 

Soren detected this and straightened up; even if his features failed to capture the confidence their father had perhaps desired. “Father… are you sure?” 

“Of course I’m sure,” Their father snapped. Soren didn’t even flinch. He just looked grim and disappointed. “After all, wasn’t it your decision to report the princes were already dead? A wiser decision than I thought you to make. But a good one. General Amaya encountering them was a snag. However, they are naturally travelling with assassins. Assassins who could turn on them any minute. Simply do the deed and the truth will take care of the rest.” 

“Dad, they’re our _friends_. This is wrong,” Claudia argued. “Shouldn’t we bring them home--” 

“And let the boy be king?” Her father sneered. She flinched. He’d never looked at her that way before. “He will plunge Katolis into chaos and the elves will surge in through the cracks!” 

Soren looked about as uncomfortable as Claudia felt but he said, “Father.” 

Their father heaved a heavy sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. “My children. My only two children. This is a task I can only give to the two of you. You are the only ones I can trust with this job.” He put aside his staff and put a hand on their shoulders. “I _know_ you both will make me proud. This is for the future of our kingdom. Do you understand?” 

Claudia didn’t have it in her heart to say no. But she couldn’t exactly say that she _didn’t_ understand either. She couldn’t understand where the life in her father had gone, but she also knew what he was saying. 

She just hated it. 

But he wouldn’t have been asking this of them, sending them toward the Xadian border, for nothing. 

Right? 

He again sighed, this time through his nose, then grabbed his staff, circumventing the two of them. “Come. There’s something you should take with you to help you against the elves. Special… souvenirs, if you will. I had them made in Meraxia after we took down the King of the Dragons. No doubt there will be a fight. They should help.” 

“Didn’t you send someone to find them and take care of it already though?” Soren dared to ask. 

“A couple of wild cards,” their father growled. “I’d thought they would do well to get the job done quickly, but I’m beginning to have my doubts. Heavy doubts. My own lapse in judgement, I suppose.” 

“Then, shouldn’t we send word that we’re coming to help them?” Claudia asked. 

“No.” He said with a tone of finality. “If they’re out there doing the herding, then I need you two to finish the job. Track them. Eliminate them. Burn the evidence.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! This chapter was a bit long, but it's the beginning of a more long-term setup for this fic. Especially in concerns to the last scene, but there were a thing or two that's going to carry over later. Also, sorry I haven't been able to get to everyone's comments! I'll be replying to those as soon as I have a bit of time to sit down and do it.
> 
> As always, thank you guys for the comments! I really appreciate them and I love seeing them and how invested you guys are getting into this fic! Keep them coming and these chapters will keep coming too (as fast as I can)! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	14. With Knife and Gown

“So, you know, you were wondering if _I_ know how to dance, but do _you_ know how to dance?” Rayla asked Callum the next day. It occurred to her he wasn’t exactly the most coordinated person in the world. “You don’t exactly strike me as a fancy dancer.” 

“Me? Uh…” He grinned, and she immediately knew the answer to her question. “Well, you see, I wasn’t really good at a lot of things. Sword fighting, horse racing--” 

She crossed her arms. “And dancing. You don’t really know how to dance. Do you?” 

He deflated. “Yeah, not really.” 

Rayla let out a restless sigh. “ _Just_ great. So, that means we’re going to have to talk our way through this, doesn’t it?” 

“Hey, to be fair, we just have to get through a couple hours each night and I can do most of the talking. You… don’t exactly sound like you’re from here.” 

She put her hands on her hips with a raised brow. “What? I can sound like a human. See, look at this. I’ve _practiced_.” 

“You’ve practiced.” 

As she took in a deep breath, she shifted her voice and made it more nasally in an attempt to lose her Xadian accent; she put her hands on her hips just as dramatically as the humans she’d witnessed. “Hello, fellow humans, human fellows. I’m going to a big fancy party tonight for no other purpose than to brag about all the things I have and others don’t. _All_ at the expense of someone else who has even more stuff I don’t have, but probably envy!” 

Callum smacked himself on the forehead so hard she’d thought he hurt himself. She remained proud of her rendition. 

“Yeah, you keep practicing that. I’ll be back.” 

She raised a brow. “Back? Where are you going?” 

“I just need to go out for a bit. I won’t be long.” 

“I’ll come with you.” 

“No!” She raised both eyebrows this time, and he cleared his throat. “No, I mean, I’ll be fine. I just need to go check something out. Okay?” 

“Okay,” she said slowly. “That wasn’t weird at all, but okay. I guess.” 

He gave her a thumbs up as he walked out the door. It didn’t help. 

-:-:-:- 

Stealing was never exactly something he thought of doing. Not really. A jelly tart or two with Ezran maybe when they were passing by the bakery, but that was about it. 

Callum squirmed to even consider it, but he had to do this. It wasn’t right \-- or safe -- for Rayla to go into a room full of humans completely unarmed. He could stash his primal stone somewhere on his person maybe, but Rayla lacked room for her swords. 

He needed to do this quickly. Before he lost the nerve and, more importantly, before someone could catch him. 

The market was busy during this time of the day and he perused until he found a stall where several weapons were on display. He wouldn’t be able to snatch an entire sword, but a small knife would work. Something durable and practical . 

She wouldn’t care if it was pretty, would she? 

He found a particular stall with a less than attentive clerk. Callum hovered near it for some time, not too close but close enough so he could spot something Rayla could wield. Though he had a feeling she could make do with just about anything. 

It took him an unnerving amount of time, but he eventually walked past the clerk while he was dozing off and quietly snatched a small blade from the edge of the stall, then disappeared into the crowd. Callum stuffed the knife in his sleeve as he went around the corner. He examined it once he was far enough away. The craftsmanship was beautiful in its simplicity. The knife itself was modest, forged from steel and adorned with a smooth wooden hilt; its only embellishment was from the light curve at the tip of the blade. He covered it with a black cloth and stuffed it back into his sleeve. 

He could hear the clerk around the corner shouting about a thief and walked faster. 

When he returned to the inn, he shut the door a little harder than he meant to and huffed a sigh at the relative safety of their shabby walls. Rayla still sat on the bench, Andromeda beside her as they shared the whetstone. They both blinked at him, their blades cocked as if preparing to throw them. 

“So, here’s a tip,” Rayla crooned. “Don’t slam the door in a house full of armed elven assassins in a city full of humans. Sound like a plan?” 

Callum winced. “Right. Sorry.” 

“Where did you go, anyway?” 

Rather than tell her, he showed her and put the knife down on the table in front of them. He didn’t know why but he stammered just a little and rubbed the back of his neck -- his neck that wasn’t clammy like this a minute ago. “I went to get this.” 

Andromeda blinked. She shared looks with Rayla, then looked back at Callum. “You do realize there are many knives in this house, do you not?” 

“Yeah, we specialize in sharp, pointy things, you know,” Rayla snickered. 

“No, no, uh,” Callum cleared his throat, doing his best not to think about his warming face. “It’s for you.” 

Rayla stopped snickering. She cocked her head. “For me?” 

“Yeah, well, I know you can’t take your swords to the ball. So, I got this for you. I mean, I stole it, but it’s for you.” She gently felt the hilt and the blade, pulling the dagger into her hand and weighing it on one finger. It balanced perfectly. He flinched when Rayla turned her attention back on him. “I know it’s not what you’re used to, but I thought it’d be good--” 

“It’s perfect.” 

“Yeah, I know. Listen, it can still come in handy--” 

“Callum.” She said firmly, but not unkindly. Her gaze softened even as she let out that little laugh of hers. “You big dummy, be quiet for a moment. It’s perfect. I can find somewhere to strap this, like my leg or underneath my dress. Thank you. I appreciate it.” 

He grinned sheepishly, crossing his arms. “Oh, well, glad I could help.” She made to go upstairs, to find a strap for the blade, but looked at him in consideration. “What?” 

She shook her head, then smiled. “Nothing.” Her hand hovered toward him for a second, then squeezed his arm as a last thanks before she disappeared upstairs. 

Callum’s brow arched. “What was that about?” 

Andromeda hummed, but said nothing. 

-:-:-:- 

“We’re ready to leave.” 

Soren already bid farewell to their father and gone to check if the horses were ready. It would take longer to calm their nerves with their… cargo in tow. This left Claudia to say goodbye. 

Her father was sitting on his bed, tired as tired could look when she found him. He stood up when he heard her and almost seemed normal again. She smiled a little. 

“Good,” he said, as a matter a fact as usual. “When you catch up with the princes, Claudia, you must do what is good for the kingdom of Katolis. Do you understand?” 

Claudia shook her head. “Father… they’re the princes. Our friends. We should bring them home where they’re safe and I _don’t_ understand why we’re not. How is this good for the kingdom?” 

Viren sighed, putting a hand on his daughter’s shoulder. “They’ve been with these assassins for weeks at this point. And apparently are with them… voluntarily. And Prince Callum nearly killed General Amaya in defense of the elf who murdered King Harrow. Apparently, the boy has discovered he’s a mage.” 

“That doesn’t make any sense.” 

“Sadly, the boys also truly believe I assassinated the king, somehow. I’m afraid he’s too far gone. We can’t trust either of them to rule the kingdom as Xadia could very well turn them into puppets. This leaves not only Katolis, but _all_ the five kingdoms in terrible danger. Claudia, I _understand_ your feelings, but sometimes we must do things and commit deeds for reasons greater than ourselves. In this, you must trust me.” 

A hole tore open in Claudia’s chest. It hollowed a part of her which ached at the very idea, but… surely, her father was correct. He always had good reasons for doing things. 

“Can you do this?” he asked finally. “Claudia, can I trust you? _Both_ of you?” 

She sighed, closed her eyes and ignored that ache completely. Out of sight. Out of mind. 

Claudia looked up at her father, steel in her veins. “We can do it. Don’t worry, Dad. You can count on us.” 

-:-:-:- 

Callisto had chosen well. Expensive, indeed, these were clothes he could be expected to wear to a royal ball at home. Callum adjusted the cuffs of his maroon suit jacket, perusing his new ensemble. His black cuffs matched his collar, gold embroidery likewise matching the gold buttons neatly fastening the suit jacket closed. His dark trousers were of a fine material, neatly tucked into black dress boots. 

He’d tried to smooth out his hair, but Ram quickly told him, in so many words, that it made him look stupid and he ought to stick with his normal hairstyle and just make sure it didn’t get too messy. 

Well enough advice, he supposed. After all, hairstyling must have been slightly more difficult with horns in the way, right? 

Were they in the way? 

He tried not to go too far down that rabbit hole as his nerves tried setting in. They could do this. Two days. A couple hours each. No big deal. 

Andromeda and Ram were already in position and in the midst of learning the route. The rest of the team would rendezvous with them there, towing the egg and leaving Andromeda to guard the underground exit with the egg and Ezran in tow. _That_ part made him nervous most of all, but he had no choice but to trust Andromeda. 

Investing so much in the limbs and lives of elves who came to assassinate his stepfather almost seemed silly, but he supposed he still didn’t think it fair for them to lose their limbs. Especially when they _hadn’t_ killed him, regardless of intent. On top of it all, he and Ezran were relying on them to get to safety. It was in their best interests. 

At least, he told himself that when the idea of Rayla losing her hand made him ache. She certainly didn’t deserve to lose one. 

Whatever weird space he was in mentally, he didn’t want any of their hands popping off either way. Perhaps it had to do with how different his life was now. How the idea of being with elven assassins, somehow, made him feel safer than being at home in his own room. 

When had that changed? 

A soft rustle and hard steps settled behind him where the kitchen entrance was. 

His eyes found the hem of her long dress first. 

Under the arch, at the top of the short stairway, Rayla stood in her floor length silver white ball gown, her legs buried underneath the layers of gold-laced skirts which fanned out into a short train. The cup of her skirts met at her waist, the bodice wrapping tightly around her torso. Her arms and shoulders were left largely bare, her hair swooped up into a loose, low bun, with only the amulet from the cabin to adorn her lightly flushed skin. Then again, she didn’t need much to ornament herself as Callum’s gaze dragged to her, less than happy, violet eyes. Loose locks of hair fell around either side of her face. 

She lifted her full skirts just barely off the ground, her hands becoming lost in the heavy fabric. 

Callum realized he’d stopped moving, his hands still on his cuff. He loosed a breath. Breathing had stopped being a thing entirely. 

“You look…” 

“I look _ridiculous_.” 

She dropped the skirts and came down the steps carefully despite the short distance to the floor. Her brows narrowed, but her pout, poorly disguised as a scowl, told a slightly different story. 

“No! No, uh…” He cleared his throat. “You look good. You look really good.” 

Rayla looked down at herself, distaste evaporating a little. “You think so?” 

He nodded, reassuring her with a smile though his knees were weak. “I do. I mean it. I promise.” 

It was her turn to look him over. The little curve of that smirk was worth all his nerves. “You don’t clean up so bad yourself.” 

“ _Uh-hm._ ” 

The sound of Callisto clearing his throat loudly made them both look toward the door. His face was dead-panned, not having the patience for any part of their little exchange. “If you’re done admiring yourselves…” he said. “Are you ready?” 

“Uh, I think we are.” It took most of the courage he’d managed to muster up for the evening to hold his arm out for Rayla. He did his best to smile at her. “Right?” 

To his great relief, she took his arm, wrapping her own around his. “Yeah. I think so.” 

-:-:-:- 

Getting to the ball, thankfully, required no interaction with the gondolas. All bridges and, eventually, a carriage which Lord Gallias had arranged for them. Naturally, they gave him the address to somewhere much nicer than a shabby inn tucked into the corner of a narrow waterway. 

Along the way, Rayla fidgeted with her hands. She usually wasn’t this nervous, but the idea of being in a room full of humans without her weapons was less than inviting. Strapped to her leg, the knife Callum gifted her fit perfectly and reminded her how she wasn’t entirely defenseless. 

Or alone. 

She looked up at Callum to catch him staring at her. 

His tone was kind when he asked, “You okay?” 

“I’m fine,” she said probably not convincingly. “Just never done this before.” 

“If it makes you feel any better, I don’t exactly do this all the time either. I usually just dressed up, showed up with Ez and my stepdad and talked politely to a bunch of people I didn’t know all night.” 

She scoffed. There was that little smirk again. “Sounds boring, if you ask me.” 

“You have no idea.” 

“So, what’s the plan for when we get in there? Just let your friend talk our ears off for the night?” 

“That’s the idea. Keep an eye on him and reroute him when he wants to go show off, so they can properly search for the scepter. Tomorrow shouldn’t be as hard or take as long,” Callum said. “We should also make sure we don’t get separated. We should stay together.” 

Rayla nodded. “Don’t worry, I don’t want to be out there by myself, anyway.” 

“Together, then.” Callum held out his hand. 

Rayla blinked but smiled just as quickly. She took his hand across the carriage from her. “Together.” 

At that moment, the carriage stopped, and they could hear the murmuring of the crowd outside. Through the curtains, they could see the glow of the palace. A moment later, the door was opened, and the glow became an outright light. 

Callum got out first, giving Rayla a hand out of the carriage. She wanted to keep her boots on, but Callisto had been against it. 

“One accidental flip of that skirt and that’s it,” he warned her. “Your cover’s blown.” 

So, to complete her look, she wore a pair of dainty flats which Ram had the joy of liberating from the market. How did people _move_ in this stuff? It was heavy and a job all on its own just to carry around on her person. 

Dresses she could understand, but _this_ … this was an entirely different manner of the word dress. 

At least, she didn’t look too terrible. She’d caught Callum’s eye more than once looking at her in a way she might describe as admiring. Needless to say, it helped her walk with her shoulders back and her head held high as they streamed into the palace, arm in arm, alongside other people dressed like all their wealth was at stake. 

She spared Callum a glance. It helped that he looked good in his suit. Handsome. The red and black complimented him. Made the green of his eyes stand out against his dark hair. He looked at her as she tucked herself into his arm just a little bit more. 

“You alright?” 

“Fine,” she said quietly. “Are you sure you don’t want me to talk like a human?” 

“Positive,” he said, but there was a chuckle in his tone. “Just say you live near the border or something. Besides, there’s going to be a lot of attention on you as it is.” 

Rayla frowned. “Why do you say that?” 

“Because step prince I might be, I’m still a prince of Katolis and you’re on his arm. And you’re beautiful. Nobles and wealthy people are nosy. They’ll want to know who you are and why you’re with me. They make it their business to.” 

He said it so casually. So matter of fact as he scanned the crowd and greeted different nobles who recognized him on the way in, past decor of gold and priceless art. All things she’d never really seen before. 

Beautiful. 

A part of her shrank bashfully under that word. The way he uttered it like it was the most known thing in the world. 

The other part of her, her ego, felt triumphant over all those priceless pieces of art they passed by. 

“Oh,” she managed to say. “Well, that’s good.” 

She must have looked a little like a moon peacock because Callum glanced at her and rolled his eyes with a definite smile. 

She made no attempts to be modest about it. 

This lord Callum knew gilded the ballroom as much as everything else. Large crystal chandeliers lit by candles and magic hung high above their heads, paintings decorated every wall, most of them of the man’s wife in some fashion. One painting held Rayla’s eye for a moment. It was one of the largest, Gallias’ wife glowing in an elegant dress, sword and shield in hand. She looked young, determined. 

She looked bright, with blue eyes like jewels. 

Quietly, Rayla asked, “Who’s the woman in all these paintings?” 

Callum eased into her, talking just as low. “Lady Eveline. Lord Gallias wife. She was friends with my mother. She should be in here somewhere. If we can keep her busy, Lord Gallias will usually follow.” 

“They’re that perfect for each other, huh?” 

“Guess so. They like their stuff. They like each other. They like how rich they are.” 

“Ugh, they sound unbearable to be around. I think I’d rather be back on one of those boats.” 

She could see Callum smile to himself about that. Glass pane windows revealed the garden under the moonlight, again, beauty reigning over everything that grew. Inside the ballroom, ladies in their dresses swept the pristine floor and men in their finest suits gilded between them. They all parted, subtly, organically, as Callum and Rayla passed through, sparing long looks and whispers among the murmur of the crowd. 

“Is that Prince Callum?” 

“King Harrow’s stepson?” 

“Yes, I’m sure of it. Who’s that girl he’s with?” 

Good. The magic was holding up. At least, that much was clear since nobody was fleeing for their life or spitting in her general direction. Under her touch, Rayla could feel Callum tense. She tugged on his sleeve as subtly as she knew how. “Relax. You’ll do fine.” 

“I’ve never done this without my step-dad,” he said through barely parted lips. 

Just as he finished his comment, Lord Gallias saw them through the crowd and made his way over with a grin on his face. 

“I’m right here with you,” she said to Callum, smiling at their target of the night. 

“Prince Callum!” Lord Gallias bowed, his wife on his arm much the same way Rayla was. “And the Lady Rayla. It is so good to see you both. Welcome to my most humble abode. You must forgive the chandeliers -- they’re a bit rustic.” 

Rayla nearly rolled her eyes but decided against it for the curtsy Callum had -- to her great amusement -- demonstrated to her earlier. 

“This,” Lord Gallias said, shifting to allow his wife a more presentable position, “Is my wife, Eveline. Eveline, you remember Prince Callum, don’t you?” 

“Of course I do.” Even her voice was melodic. She left her strawberry blonde hair down unlike most of the ladies in the room. It seemed to suit her as it cascaded around her face. Her eyes and smile were soft. Still, those blue eyes kept Rayla from looking away too quickly. “He looks so much like his mother. It is _so_ good to see you again, Prince Callum. Would you like something to drink? Champagne? Wine?” 

“It’s good to see you too, Lady Eveline. Uh,” Callum shook his head at the server who rushed up to them. “I’m fine. I think I’m a little young for that, anyway.” 

“Oh, I’m sure Harrow wouldn’t mind. He was young once, too. You’re almost a man in your own right, after all. Time to start experimenting, right?” 

For some reason, Rayla didn’t like the way he said that. 

“Thank you, but I have to decline. Rayla and I have somewhere to be in the morning.” 

“That’s right. We…” Rayla searched for something. “Have a painter to meet in the morning.” 

“Gallias, leave them alone. They’re being _responsible_. Oh, believe me, dear, I _know_ how long a portrait can take. You have to be looking your best and be willing to stand still for a dreadfully long time.” Eveline smiled warmly at them. “Rayla, was it? Dear, you have the most _interesting_ accent. Pleasant, but I don’t believe I’ve ever heard it before. Where did you say you were from again?” 

“The border,” Callum blurted . “She lived near the border. So, that’s where that came from. Yep.” 

“My, how interesting!” Eveline’s eyes flashed. “Where near the border, exactly?” 

“The southern border,” Rayla said with as much grace and confidence as she could carry in her spine. Facts be damned. “Not very well known. I met Callum while visiting the castle one day.” 

That was the truth if not the whole truth. 

For a split second, Eveline’s brows twitched. At least, Rayla thought so. She squeezed Callum’s arm. “Oh, the southern border. Not quite as populated unless you’re near the sea. I’ve never been there, but I’ve heard it’s _lovely_ in the summer. As long as you don’t get _too_ near the breach, of course.” 

“Exactly. Yep. That was her,” Callum intervened. “Small trading village.” 

“How quaint,” said Lord Gallias. “Now, your highness, you’ve met Lord Yervin, my master at arms here in Meraxia, haven’t you? Son of the great Lady Imogen?” 

Before Callum opened his mouth, Lady Eveline cut in. “Oh dear, it may not matter. Lord Yervin’s memory is somewhat short. Why don’t we just reintroduce them? It must have been ages, hasn’t it? And we can be sure to introduce him to Lord Yervin’s daughter-in-law, Lady Renevieve.” 

“Lord Yervin’s son married Lord Fallon’s daughter. Lord Fallon just retired from the High Council a year ago, I believe.” 

That was a semi-long list of people Rayla was not thrilled to meet. Longer than she wanted it, anyway. 

“But, first,” Eveline brought a boy about Ezran’s age -- younger, in fact \-- to the forefront. He had his father’s dark hair and his mother’s bluer than blue eyes. His smile was sweet and his skin fair, the boy looked the epitome of a young lord-to-be in his blue formal robes. “You do remember my son, Alexander, don’t you?” 

“Your highness,” Alexander bowed. “It’s good to see you. I’m sorry for not remembering you, but my mother says we’ve met before.” 

“It’s alright,” Callum said more sincerely this time, his tone gentle. “You weren’t that old the last time I saw you. How are you? As good a fighter as your mother, yet?” 

“Well, I’m not very good at sword fighting, but father says my horseback riding skills are good for my age. Right, father?” 

Gallias put a sturdy hand on his son’s shoulder. “It’s true. He’s very good. He’s also good at something else: the arts. We thought that bit might interest you, Prince Callum?” 

Callum smiled. “Really? That’s great, Alexander. What kind of artist are you?” 

“I’m not as good as you. Not at drawing.” Callum raised his brow in question. “My father’s shown me the ones you gifted us from your last visit. But I’m not bad at dolls.” 

“Dolls?” 

“Painting them. Putting them together. I like puppets and things like that. My mother enjoys them and my father showed me how to make them. I can show you some before you leave, maybe?” 

“We’d like that.” Callum glanced at Rayla. “Right, Rayla?” 

Rayla genuinely smiled. “That sounds good. I think we can find the time.” 

Alexander beamed proudly. 

Lady Eveline put an ushering hand on his shoulder. “Before the end of the night, love. Why don’t you go find a few you want to show them, hm? We have a few people we have to introduce to Prince Callum and Lady Rayla.” 

As Alexander rushed off to find his prize, it painfully reminded Rayla of that list of people she didn’t really want to meet. Callum and her shared looks as Lord Gallias and Lady Eveline led the way. Their night started here. 

Rayla spared a glance to the glass-domed roof as Callisto’s familiar shadow nested above their heads. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all! So, hope you liked this new chapter. I had a quick announcement/request thing. Next week, March 25th, is actually my 25th birthday! And, so, if you have a tumblr or a twitter, it would be really cool if people had any kind of metas they wanted to write. Theories, comparisons to canon or in fic references, characters, etc. Like you might for canon material. I've always wanted to know what people think of my stuff on an analytical level. I've made some very pointed literary choices based off canon to keep it different (but still feeling like you could read this from canon if you wanted to). Of course, you naturally don't have to and no hard feelings about it, but if you did and wanted to tag it rayllum and tag my name that would be awesome. I'm Kuno-chan on Tumblr and kuno12 on Twitter.
> 
> I'm thinking about making a blog for the fic because this fic is going to have a part 2 at some point and it's going to be a long one. With new characters and storylines and all. I could store any and all posts made about the fic there. Make some bios, etc. So, I thought it'd be fun and it would make my (b)day. :3
> 
> As for the chapter, make sure you read chapter 15 when I post it. It's an important one.
> 
> As always, I love your guys reviews and I hope to keep seeing them! All the responses are really keeping me motivated and writing! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	15. To Sweetly Hold

Rayla never knew there was a difference between rich people, nobles and excessively rich people. 

Rich people talked about themselves. 

Nobles talked about politics. 

Excessively rich people talked about themselves _and_ how much money they were making. These were usually merchant lords and self-made men who, apparently, needed to make up for whatever they lacked in those confounded coins humans loved so much. These people seemed to love said coins more than they loved themselves. 

Many, many of the people here at the ball qualified as excessively rich people. 

Callum gained his royal status through his mother’s marriage. Privilege and luxury were things he grew up with, but largely from his station and by who his mother married. Then again, Rayla knew little about his life _before_ his mother married the king. He never mentioned a father outside of his stepfather and made no indication he even remembered much of his life before living in the castle. 

But, apparently, life in the castle was different than here because he had none of the ego or the haughtiness of some of these people. 

Lord Yervin had been well enough, she supposed. He talked mainly about battle tactics and sword fighting techniques. All things she could relate to but did her best to keep under wraps. Regardless of Eveline’s apparent skill with a sword, there was no need to raise suspicions about Rayla’s identity. 

So, simple girl from a trading village she was. 

Callum had the lion’s share of the work. She only needed to stand there and look interesting. And interested. He was expected to actually talk to these people. 

Truth be told, Rayla was not the best at listening to people for an _extended_ period of time. She was definitely more of a girl of action and Runaan always adjusted his teachings to accommodate. Thankfully, he also was more inclined to do than to talk; it was his way to get through to her. 

Once they hit their fourth or so lady and lord, Rayla started tuning out after a few minutes of general discussions. Somehow, Callum could tell when she was drifting. He would shift the position of his hands, from giving her his arm to putting a hand on her back. Then would repeat the motion after another few minutes. The first time he did this, she glanced at him, but he only gave her a quick look and flashed a smile. 

She straightened up just in time for Lord… Meron was his name? He turned around and shuffled away after what felt like an extended bid farewell. 

Lady Eveline had them moving on to a woman who wore more jewels than Rayla had ever seen in her life. 

“People do this on their own free will?” Rayla murmured when she felt Callum put a hand on her waist, his arm resting at her back. 

He squeezed lightly. “It’s been maybe thirty minutes.” 

“Wow, only half an hour and I _already_ want to chew my own foot off.” Callum snorted. She glanced up at Callisto’s shadow. No movements. They hadn’t found it. “Do _all_ these people want to talk to you?” 

“Kind of. They care more about what they think I can _do_ for them, usually. Nobility always tries to climb the social ladder.” 

“Sounds like a fun time.” She could understand it, at least. It wasn’t _that_ much different from certain groups of people back home. Humans were just… smarmier about it. She smirked. “How come you aren’t like these rich people, hm?” 

She let him guide her along as he frowned. “What do you mean?” 

“Aren’t you rich? You _are_ a prince.” 

Callum shrugged. “I guess. More like step-prince. Aside from having people just get me things when I want them, my life I guess is… normal? I don’t know. My stepdad never really made us believe we were any different from anyone else.” 

“He sounds like a good father.” She kept her voice low. 

His smile was sadder than before. “He was.” 

Another half an hour went by and Rayla decided that Lady Cynan was her least favorite. She talked _endlessly_ , largely about her businesses and her diamond mines in Del Bar. 

“Lady Cynan is a busy woman. Don’t mind her. She comes from a family of jewelry merchants and likes to discuss business proposals when she can.” Lord Gallias turned to them, shaking his head. “Might you two be thirsty?” 

“The wine sounds nice right about now,” Rayla said before she could stop herself. Callum elbowed her a little. 

Lord Gallias laughed. “I feel the exact same way after a round with her.” He flagged down one of the servants. Rayla took a water, instead. “Might you excuse me for but a moment? I have to find my wife. She seems to have disappeared.” 

He excused himself and Callum turned to Rayla. She shrugged. 

“Well, _that_ was subtle.” He made a face at her. “Aren’t you supposed to be the discreet one here?” 

“But if I don’t say _anything,_ he’ll just think I’ve got no personality.” He just stared at her for half a second, then rolled his eyes and rubbed his brow. She sighed, swirling her water in her goblet. “Fine, I’m sorry. I’m just… bored. And they all look like they want a piece of us.” 

Of me, she said to herself. She figured she didn’t have to clarify who or what exactly she meant by _they_. Apparently, she didn’t have to say it at all. 

He lowered his voice and got so close she could feel his breath. “I know you’re nervous.” He said gently. “But you can do this. Only a little longer.” 

“It’s silly, you know,” she said, sipping her water with him so close to her ear. “I shouldn’t be scared. Humans aren’t so bad. At least, not the way Runaan made it seem sometimes.” 

And, yet, she couldn’t help but remember who was surrounding her. 

“He really does hate humans, doesn’t he?” 

She knew what it looked like, Callum so close to her, his hand on her waist and his mouth near her ear. She tried to smile at him. “He’s seen a lot of things.” 

He didn’t comment on that much further. “So have you. You’ve got this. You’re one of the strongest people I know.” 

Rayla smiled at him this time in spite of herself. She let out a noise of dismissive confidence, setting aside her drink on a nearby table. “You’re right.” His brightened expression raised her spirits. “We just need to survive a while longer. Let’s do this.” 

“Good, because here comes Lord Gallias.” 

“I’ve realized that some of my other guests are also here to speak with me and I certainly can’t be a bad host.” Gallias said. “Why don’t you two mingle with the crowd? The night is young, after all. I shall catch up with you after I’ve gone to make a few proposals myself.” 

He bowed short and Callum hadn’t even the chance to stop him before he disappeared into the crowd. They watched him make his way to a tall, spindly man who dressed just as splendidly as everyone else; the spindly man walked with Lord Gallias in a grace that reminded Rayla of an imitation more than a genuine gait. Lady Eveline had disappeared, too, now that they were looking. 

“Oh no, what are we going to do now?” Rayla whispered. 

“He’s not going anywhere, yet,” Callum reassured. They both glanced upward. Callisto made some kind of gesture and Callum translated, “They haven’t found it yet. They need more time.” 

“We won’t be able to stalk him without looking suspicious. There are too many people looking at us.” 

“I know, I know. We just have to figure out a way to keep his attention down here…” 

“Well, unless people start dancing, I don’t see how that’s going to happen.” Callum looked at her and stared for a long moment. She narrowed her eyes at him. “What is it?” 

“I think you’re onto something. Wait here.” 

-:-:-:-:- 

“We’ve cleared the west wing, but there’s nothing. Andromeda and Skor are going through the east wing and Runaan’s going through the west again.” Ram’s head popped up from the opening in the roof. “How’s it going down there?” 

Callisto’s eyes were trained on the red and black figure, weaving and bobbing through the crowd; moving toward the musicians near the front of the room. Callum had Callisto splitting his attention between him and Rayla, left alone in the middle of the crowd. 

Her nerves would have her standing there, fidgeting with her hands, attempting to appear normal in this sea of humans who thought her one of them. Runaan wouldn’t admit it, but Callisto knew it made him nervous to put her in this situation; not only defenseless, but at somewhat of a disadvantage. That dress made her fit in very well, but it certainly did her no favors if she had to end a fight. 

In this, they were relying on Callum’s brain. And him being human. 

Runaan may never say it, but he was squarely placing Rayla’s general protection on the boy’s shoulders. 

“Where is he going?” Callisto whispered more to himself than Ram. 

He felt Ram climb up onto the roof and look down. “Is he leaving her there?” 

“He’s human, not stupid.” 

Although sometimes that notion was one and the same. 

“Then where _is_ he going?” 

“We’ll have to see.” Alright, now Callum was heading back to Rayla. “Report back. Runaan wanted regular updates.” 

-:-:-:- 

“Dance with me.” 

“What?” Rayla caught herself, then whispered furiously at him. “I thought you didn’t know how to dance!” 

He took her by the hand and led her toward the open floor as the music stopped. “I don’t, but my parents used to dance to this. It’s the only one I know.” 

Most people at these things didn’t -- wouldn’t -- dance until someone found the courage to start. Sometimes, that person was his stepdad. Granted, it happened much less often after his mother died. 

Still, he remembered some of the steps. Enough, he hoped, to keep the crowd rather captivated. The throng quieted down when Prince Callum and his mystery Lady Rayla, stepped into the center of attention. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Lord Gallias and Lady Eveline sidling up together to watch as well. 

Rayla, for her part, didn’t argue after that. In her eyes he could see she understood. She let him pull her close, one hand on her back and the other lifting her hand in the air. He gestured for her to grip his shoulder. 

She obliged just as he could hear the musicians starting up. 

“Follow my lead.” 

The music hummed to life. It was slightly unconventional for this kind of occasion, but he knew it by heart. 

It was a lull. A rise. A solemn call that had Callum moving his feet. Rayla followed, spinning with him in a slow arc across the floor. They drifted to and from the crowd, now completely enraptured in their dance . 

In the hum of the music, Callum could hear the life of the song itself underneath. 

_Promise me._

He let it take him and glide him where he needed to go, Rayla a solid weight under his touch. She was as nervous as he was but easing as the music took hold. For a moment, he forgot this was only a show. 

Feeling the music about to change tempo, he prepared to move with it. 

_Eternity._

Then, he felt Rayla’s touch leaving his. The note of the music drawn out and rising with a lovesickness to the air, she spun out slowly, slowly and dipped in a form of curtsy, her skirts fanning the floor around her. 

Callum frowned. He caught her little smile. 

What was she doing? 

She walked across from him, along a path which might have led to his back if he hadn’t walked with her. Her gestures were mockingly coy and that smirk. 

Callum blinked. He narrowed his eyes in a way that spelled amusement when he realized what she was up to. 

She was playing. 

They walked in a circle with the tempo of the music, more than an arm’s length from each other and the slightest, casual bounce in their step. 

She rolled her shoulders in a mock demure manner, somehow still teasing in a way only Rayla could. He humored her. 

He danced with her. 

_Your arms._

The music shifted again. They twisted on their heels. He didn’t know how she knew or how he knew she knew as they began walking in opposite directions, retracing that circle between them, but not without Callum dipping in to take her hand from across the gap. 

A token of his participation. 

They were a bit closer now, but still at arm’s length, Callum holding her hand in his. 

And even with all of that, it was nothing compared to her eyes. The way she looked at him outshone any jewel in the golden glow of the chandeliers, or any beauty that dress she wore boasted. 

He squeezed her hand. 

_Stay._

The melody drifted into the next and they twisted again. 

They only need share a look and both of them stepped in, crossing forearms in a way that had Callum resisting the urge to reach out and brush her hair behind her ear. 

She smiled at him. A smirk or a smile. A cross in-between. It didn’t matter. The artist in him couldn’t stop taking her in. Every detail and curve of her face. 

_Your hand._

That smile curved a bit more. Definitely a smirk. 

The music hit a point in which he didn’t want to turn away from her anymore. 

_Near me._

Callum stepped next to her, side to side, their hips and waists finally touching. She put her arms down, resting against her dress. Callum found his arm across the front of her body, his hand on her waist. 

Her nose was nearly touching his. 

He dragged his gaze from her eyes to her mouth. 

He had to draw her face. Yes. 

This was what flowed through his mind as his eyes followed the intoxicating curve of her lips and nearly forget the rise and fall of his own chest. 

The music picked up tempo for its finale. Callum guided Rayla back to him as she slid back to her original position. Her hand graced his shoulder and his hand never left her as it slid to her back. They intertwined their leftover fingers together. 

And they danced. 

In a larger circle, to the crowd, from the crowd, Rayla’s skirts bouncing and flowing as their feet found the melody. They smiled and Callum even found the courage to twist her, spinning her in white and gold. 

Callum lost himself in her. The laughter in her eyes. Her happiness. Had he ever truly seen her happy? It’d only been a couple weeks, but he felt like he’d known her forever. As long as he had known Claudia, even. Maybe it was the music, maybe it was her, but gliding across the room with her, like this, felt right. 

Felt better than his life had in a while. Truth be told, he wasn’t sure he _ever_ felt like this before. 

The music reached it’s descension, and they slowed their spinning, the hum of the song nothing but an entrancing invitation back to her and the center she had somehow become in the past few minutes. Minutes imitating eternity. 

The final note faded out and their spinning followed, resting into their original position. Her lips twitched into a smile. He forgot to breathe again. 

And the crowd cheered. 

Callum blinked and looked around. Rayla seemed to remember them, too, and seemed about as red as his suit. They could see Lord Gallias and Lady Eveline together clapping and looking at them admirably. In fact, everyone seemed to be pleasantly surprised and delighted at their dance. Truth be told, Callum was surprised himself. 

The music started up again and other couples joined in on the floor, including their targets of the night. 

Callum breathed a sigh of relief. Perfect. 

He hadn’t let go of Rayla’s hand as the dance ended. He glanced up as they moved out of the way. Callisto was signing. 

_Perfect_ . 

Rayla hooked herself on his arm again, her fingers tightly interlaced in his. He could feel the tension in her body loosen as they swept out an entrance, away from the ballroom and the center of attention. 

“Did they find it?” Her voice was in his ear. 

“Yeah, they did. We’re leaving.” Let the patrons who saw them leaving in such a flurry have their own ideas, judging by their expressions, about where and why the two were leaving. It would be just the alibi they needed. 

-:-:-:- 

Outside, the streets were still busy, but she could breathe. It was better than being stuffed in that room with all those… people. She shook her head. Humans weren't bad. They weren’t the way Runaan had made it seem, sometimes, growing up. Rayla wasn’t particularly keen on most of the people she had met tonight, but most of them at least seemed to have some good in them. They were _people._ Not the monsters she’d come to have a distaste for. 

Not all of them, at least. 

“Feeling better?” 

They tried to keep it cool. Still appear normal as they strolled away from the palace. Callum hadn’t let go of her arms or her fingers and she hadn’t bothered to release them just yet . She only breathed. “Yeah. It was a bit much in there,” she said. “You don’t think they’ll be suspicious of us leaving so soon?” 

“We were there for about an hour. That’s long enough and I think they’ll fill in the blanks about where we went off to afterwards. They’ll just tell Lord Gallias we went off for some midnight stroll. Which is technically the truth.” 

“Oh… I guess,” was all she could a manage. She didn’t bother questioning it. 

“Where do you want to go next?” he asked, looking more to the stars than at her. 

Now, Rayla stopped in her tracks, shaking her head slightly. “Uh, back to the inn? Remember? That was the plan, wasn’t it?” 

“Well, yeah,” he said, shrugging awkwardly. “But it’s still kind of early. And you haven’t seen _this_ side of Meraxia, yet. I could show you. If you wanted me to.” 

Now, she let him release her from his grip, but not entirely. He still hung onto her hand even as she pulled away from him. They were almost at arm’s length now, her hand held out to him as if he wouldn’t let go until he got some sign that she actually, truly wanted him to. She rubbed the back of her neck with her free hand. “We should be getting back,” she said quietly. Weakly. Unconvincingly. Even her body betrayed her words as she took a step toward him. 

“Come on. Run away with me for the hour.” 

Her resolve was crumbling. “Callum.” 

It was a poor excuse of an admonishment. 

He didn’t let go. Neither did she pull her hand from his, but she knew that if she had said no, and meant it, he would would have let go and they would have gone back to the inn. But he was waiting for her answer. He would do whatever her heart desired. 

She didn’t try to hide her smile. “I hope you have something good to show me.” 

His grin was bright as he pulled her along with him through the streets. “You’ll love it.” 

-:-:-:- 

The streets of Meraxia were cobblestone under her feet, hard and cool as Callum lead Rayla to their mystery destination. They didn’t hold hands or walk arm in arm like before, but it was comfortable and pleasant, really, despite that. The vendors on the streets sold wonderful goodies from pastries to little trinkets. 

“It gets busy because of the celebration. So, there’s all kinds of things for sale out here.” Callum explained, biting into a pastry. It was cream filled. Lemon, maybe? “Good, isn’t it?” 

Rayla licked the crumbs off her lips. “Mmhm. What’s in it?” 

“Cream. Kind of like vanilla cream, but I think this is lemon.” 

“Well, as delicious as this is, it can’t be the thing you wanted to show me. Remember? The thing I’ll _love_ ,” she said, teasing him more than anything. “It better be amazing or I’ll be disappointed.” 

She wondered if he took it to heart, judging by the quick flicker of some perceivable nerves. He took her hand. “It’s just up this way.” 

They were on the outskirts of the city now. At least, it seemed like they were, but at the same time it was all remarkably close. They wandered past a few buildings and up a neatly tended path with rose bushes of every color. The street lamps planted along the corners and pathways became the only light, with the moon serving them the rest of the way. 

Rayla could smell the roses, the city feeling much farther away as they climbed a hill. They didn’t talk much, and after some time, the city noises died around them and she realized the crickets were their main attendees now. 

They followed the stone path until they crested the hill, a single bench amidst the rose garden and statues, with a lone fountain sitting at the center of it all. 

Before she could even open her mouth to admire it all, Callum put up a finger. “That’s not the amazing part.” 

She let him lead her to the bench and turned her around. 

The city glowed. 

The firelight, canals and the water all lit by the life of the city, and here they were overlooking it all. From this high up, the view was panoramic. Enticing and entrancing. It was bright and beautiful with an amber glow which would have taken time immemorial to paint. 

A city alive in all its beauty. All its glory. 

“Wow…” she breathed. 

Callum squeezed her hand lightly. “Yeah… amazing enough for you?” 

She didn’t even look at him, her eyes transfixed on the view. “It’ll do, I guess.” 

He laughed. She felt him sit down on the bench behind them, leaving her to ogle at the view of the city. “Human cities really _aren’t_ so bad now, huh?” 

She broke her stare to look at him smiling or smirking -- she didn’t know. Tucking her dress beneath her, she took a seat next to him, her gaze drawn between him and he view. “How did you find this place?” 

“My parents found it when I was really young. I would come here and admire the roses while they had some time to themselves.” 

“Oh?” she asked. 

“Yeah. We just came here to relax and get away from it all.” 

“It’s lovely.” 

She meant it. Xadia boasted some of the most beautiful places she would ever see in her life, but there was something about this place that was… simple. Magical. The glow of the city stark yet gentle against the dark of the night. 

They looked at each other and his gaze flickered between her and the ground. He leaned back and rested on the palms of his hands. He rubbed the back of his neck. “Do you like it though? I know it’s probably not the most brilliant thing you’ve ever seen, being from Xadia and all, but I though--” 

“It’s good,” Rayla said. She smiled warmly at him and looked out again. “It’s beautiful. I… it’s just so peaceful here. And pretty. I’ve never been somewhere like this before. I wish I could come here whenever I wanted.” 

When her gaze settled on him again, he blinked then returned her smile. “So do I. It’s…” 

“It’s nice,” she finished for him. “I wish we could stay here forever.” 

From the look on his face, he agreed. There was a mix of emotions. Perhaps some sorrow, but also maybe something content, something happy. She scooted next to him and wrapped an arm around his, holding it to her. Her thumb rubbed the fabric of his suit jacket. They stayed like this for a little while. 

He broke the silence. “Do you want to dance?” 

“I thought you didn’t know how to dance?” It was a somewhat empty question. 

“I think I can make something up,” he spoke quietly, his voice just between the two of them. 

“There’s no music.” Her voice lowered to nearly a whisper. 

“I don’t think we need it.” 

They both rose, trying their hardest not to be awkward and, yet, there was no need. After a moment of waiting to see what the other might do, Callum moved around her, the light of the city at their backs and found both her hands with his. 

He moved her, his body her guide as she followed the slide of his steps. There was no need for words. Only a glance over her shoulder to let him know she could feel his next move. The shadow of his face did nothing to dim the illumination in his eyes, and his smile, the amber glow awash in his hair and against his features. She wondered what he saw when he looked at her. 

He brought her hand over her head and spun her around. She laughed, and he followed, her dress whispering against the stones 

-:-:-:- 

It said enough when Rayla hadn’t realized he was there. Callisto rubbed his face, perched on top of a statue a mere hundred feet away. 

She hadn’t seen him, and she hadn’t even suspected or sensed him. He didn’t expect Callum to, not at all, but Rayla… she was better than this. Callisto hadn’t even tried to conceal himself very well. 

He suppressed a groan, muttering, “Please, don’t make this an issue I get to deal with.” 

He snuck off into the night with no intention whatsoever of being the one to tell Runaan. Not tonight. 

With prayers, perhaps, this would pass. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo, I'm glad this is finally out. It's a big turning point for Rayla and Callum and I can't wait for people to kind of feel how things evolve with them from here on out. Thank you to everyone who wished me a Happy Birthday. It means a lot!
> 
> Things get real from here on out. And I can't wait for you guys to see what I mean in the next coming chapters. It's about to get real complex here. I was going to address a thing here but I want to see how you guys respond in the next few chapters. I do want to say though that Rayla and Callum have long journies ahead of them. This story is a lot about how you deal with things when the lines (that weren't really crossed in canon) have been crossed because of the different experiences and specific actions and timing of those actions they have experienced. Rayla is an assassin dealing with, well, being an assassin and all the consequences and things that come with that. And Callum has a very long journey ahead of him. Very grey, nuanced and complicated issues that we will be dealing with head on as this story progresses. I plan for this story to be like 2-3 parts in and of itself so please keep that in mind! We got a LONG way to go.
> 
> Also, the specific one I was thinking of is the one by Peter Hollens by the way for everyone who gets what I mean by that.
> 
> As always, guys I love it when you guys leave those reviews. They really keep me going and keep me motivated! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	16. The Kalfs

“Where did you two go?”

They were late. They knew they would be, but Rayla still pretended to be sorry about it. Well, she didn’t exactly have to pretend. She was sorry, but not as sorry as she was acting. 

“We got lost,” Callum said, the picture of apology. “We didn’t exactly wait for the carriage, so we tried to make it back on foot and it didn’t go so well.”

Runaan raised his brows and looked to Rayla. She shrugged and tried to hold his gaze. “I don’t know my way around this city. I just followed him.”

Runaan frowned. “This isn't the time for games. We’re in dangerous territory. Tomorrow we leave as soon as we’ve accomplished our goal. It can’t happen again.”

Did he know? 

Judging by his face and demeanor, she suspected not, but it wouldn’t be the first time Runaan let her believe one thing and kept the other hidden, just to gauge her reaction. Even if normally he was a man of honesty and expected the same.

“It won’t.” She said truthfully. “We’ll know the way.”

Runaan fixed them -- her -- with a stern look, then nodded and walked away. Back into the kitchen with Callisto, she supposed. She could see Callisto eyeing her from the stairway, letting Runaan lead before following.

If he knew, he wasn’t letting on. Reality set back in. Even Callum could feel it, too. On their way back, they went over what they saw at the ball. Anything out of the ordinary or how they might keep Lord Gallias and Lady Eveline busy tomorrow night.

Truth be told, she should have been more focused. It was just… nice to have fun for a little bit. Just an hour. A small hour.

Some guilty part of her knew better, but she ignored it.

-:-:-:-

Callum let out a sigh once they were upstairs. “That was... “

“Yeah.” They faced each other as Rayla approached her door. “It was good though. I had fun. Even though I wasn’t really supposed to.”

“Who said you shouldn’t though?”

“It’s a mission. It’s not supposed to be fun. We’re supposed to be focused and--”

“And we were dancing. I think you’re allowed to enjoy that part, if nothing else.”  He smiled at her. He… had a point, maybe. “Good night, Rayla.”

“Good night, Callum.”

He shouldn’t have enjoyed it either. Ezran was already asleep, Bait at his side,both of them safe as Callum changed into a pair of night clothes Ram had been kind enough to procure for them. 

Still, he liked it. He knew he did. It’d be a wonder if he survived this entire running away to Xadia ordeal, so he let himself enjoy the night. Rayla let him show her around and she seemed to enjoy the little reprieve from the mission. Perhaps, she was right, and they shouldn’t have, but it was nice to see her smile. Hopefully, he would see it more often.

He eyed the book of runes sitting on the desk nearby and reminded himself to look through it again tomorrow. With everything happening recently, he’d neglected to skim through it more. The night before, Callisto had dropped an interesting detail to him about not necessarily needing to have the primal stone in his hand when he cast spells; he would need to read more into that when he got the chance. After all, the closer they got to Xadia, the more dangerous it would be for him and Ezran, assassins or no assassins. 

He had to be ready.

The next morning, Rayla was waiting for him by the stairs. 

“You always get up late.”

“It’s eight in the morning,” Callum yawned. 

“Yeah. Must be nice, being able to sleep in.”

He just stared at her, bleary eyed, as they walked downstairs. “You’re joking, right? You must be joking.”

She only smiled at him. That didn’t give him much of an answer.

When they arrived in the kitchen, there was a meager breakfast of bread and soup, ready to eat. Callisto and Callum met eyes for a moment before Callisto went back to his soup, discussing some plan or other with Runaan across the table.

"Tonight, you will be with me."

Callisto looked up from his breakfast, frowning. "And who, pray tell, do you expect to keep the lovebirds out of trouble?"

Callum nearly choked on his bread. Callisto ignored him.

Runaan already finished eating, his bowl set aside as he perused over a makeshift map of the palace. "I need you to help me with the runes they've placed around the scepter."

"I'm not a mage."

"But you know enough about runes to help. Either way, you're the only one who understands them. No one else has that knowledge. Skor will keep an eye on Rayla and Callum for today."

'Where did you find it?" Rayla asked from over her bowl.

"It wasn't behind the door, but rather in the room the door was being guarded from. A simple ploy, but it's guarded with runes and magic. Magic more than likely used to ward off theft. It's safe to say  the magic is delicate, and we will need to time to neutralize it. Which is where Callisto comes in."

"I'd be more useful keeping guard over the two of you than babysitting. Callisto's wound still hasn't completely healed yet. He's not much help in a fight right now," Skor said from his place by the wall, fixing the hole behind the painting. "No offense."

"None taken," Callisto said. "It's true."

"Ram's quickness will deal with the guards efficiently. Skor, if something goes wrong, you'll need to break in and get Rayla out."

Callum noted the lack of mention concerning his own name.

"And the prince?"

Runaan glanced at Callum. "He will have his primal stone. I expect him to help you all escape just the same."

"I can put up a fight on my own, you know," Rayla protested. She frowned, stopping the spoon halfway to her mouth. "I don't need all this protection."

Callum had a feeling she wouldn't like Runaan’s comment. But she was partially right. Rayla was a much better fighter than him. Magic or no magic. What good would he be against a slew of guards wanting to drag him back to Katolis?

"You are at a disadvantage in that attire. And you're going to need help in case a fight breaks out."

"Runaan--"

"It's not a question of skill, Rayla. It's a matter of strategy. I expect you to put up a fight, but I won’t  count on that alone in case something goes wrong. Nor can any of us afford capture."

She was still unconvinced. "It certainly doesn't sound like it’s not a question of my skill."

Runaan met her gaze and raised his brows. "It's not up for discussion."

She finished her food in silence. Afterward, Callum found her sharpening her swords upstairs. He sat down next to her. "You alright?"

"He doesn't trust me," she grumbled. "I'm not some damsel in distress who needs others to come save me. I've got this."

"I don't think it has anything to do with that." She looked at him sharply. "Hear me out, okay?"

Rayla looked at him for a moment, then nodded. "I think he's just being careful, that's all. I mean...  it just seems like he doesn't want anything bad to happen to you?"

"... I guess. I just don't like it. I've trained my whole life for times like these. Why can't he see that?"

"Rayla, he wants to be careful. You're supposed to trust them, remember?"

She sighed and set aside her blades. "I know... it's just-- I don't want to go back to being the person who nearly messed up the entire mission. I could have gotten us all killed and if I mess this up again, he'll never trust me."

Callum almost put an arm around her… almost.. He didn't, but he did nudge her side all the same. "Hey, it's not like that and you know it. Don't be so hard on yourself."

She quieted. So quiet, in fact, he was almost worried about her for a second. It was times like these where he realized how Rayla only entered his life a short time ago. It felt like he'd known her forever. Especially after the ball last night. That'd been fun. It felt like an eternity since he had so much fun. His life was so far from what it used to be. He didn't really know what she was thinking most of the time and yet, that was just fine for now. He was honored she was so honest with him, really. Did she have many friends back home? Rayla was outgoing, and funny and fearless. Smart, reliable... Although something told him she didn't have too many people she trusted. That, perhaps she didn't have too many people who might call her friend. He had a hard time imagining it, but still found it perfectly believable all the same.

"I just don't want to let anyone down," she whispered. "I don't want to mess up."

"You won't." He put a hand over hers. She looked at him. "We're in this together, remember? You've got my back and I've got yours. If anything happens, we'll find a way."

He smiled. She met his eyes, then returned it with a smile of her own and a squeeze of his hand. "Are you always going to make all these heartfelt little speeches from now on?"

"As often as you need me to."

Rayla snorted. "Sap."

"There she is."

That night, they dressed in their same clothes and met at the same inn waiting for the same carriage. Everyone else had already gone ahead to their assigned positions, Andromeda and Ezran abandoning the inn and taking everybody's things to the rendezvous point just outside the city. They would wait there until everyone made their escape.

"You don't think Lord Gallias will be suspicious after we just disappeared last night?"

"Not too much. He'll have his own ideas of where we went, I’m sure." Callum said, peeking out the window. “We’re here.”

The scene was the same and as beautiful as the night before, the patrons in their second set of attire for the ball’s last night. Again, there were onlookers wanting to know who Rayla was and again Callum generally ignored them unless spoken to. Even then, he tried to keep it brief. They wouldn’t have to dance tonight -- Callum wasn’t even sure if he could pull that off again -- but keeping Lord Gallias busy was a must. 

This was almost over. He brushed his fingers against Rayla’s hand, her arm on his. Soon they would be on their way out of the city. Out of danger. At least, the kind of danger that came with a group of elves in a human city.

And Callum had a feeling Lord Gallias’ opinion on elves wasn’t all that stellar.

As if on cue, the man of the hour approached them with open arms. “There you two are. I hope you enjoyed yourselves last night, hmm?” Lord Gallias’ smiled. “That was some performance. A shame you left so soon though.”

“Apologies, Lord Gallias. The dance was tiring. That was all,” Callum said.

Lord Gallias bowed. “No need to apologize, your highness. Not at all. I completely understand. After all, I was young once myself. Isn’t that right, my dear?”

“Of course, dear,” Callum nearly jumped when Lady Eveline came into view. Where did she come from? “How often did we have nights like that ourselves? More than one obviously.”

She gestured toward Alexander talking with another lord and lady across the room.

Callum laughed nervously. “Yeah…”

“Alright, alright, we’re embarrassing you both,” Eveline laughed. “Now, it’s our turn to apologize. Although…”

Rayla’s grip on Callum tightened. He tucked her in a bit closer. “What seems to be wrong?”

“Why, you’re wearing the same clothes.”

“What?” Rayla couldn’t stop herself from saying. He could practically hear her suppressing the sarcasm wanting to bleed through her voice. 

“We hadn’t packed much for a ball,” Callum said. “This was all we had.”

“We can’t have that,” Lord Gallias said. “Come, I’m sure that each of us have something for you to change into for the night.”

“It’s fine, really--”

Eveline pulled on Rayla and Gallias steered Callum in the opposite direction. Callum actually felt Rayla’s fingers snag on his sleeves as they were pulled apart. 

“Nonsense! We insist.” 

-:-:-:-

“Clauds, those things are making me nervous.”

“Just don’t look at them. They’re not doing anything. They can’t even move right now.”

That didn’t make Soren feel much better. Those things probably didn’t faze Claudia, but this was  well beyond his comfort zone. At least they were in crates.

“Okay, but when they do… you can control them, right?”

“Of course I can,” Claudia chirped. “It’s a simple spell. All I need--”

He put up a hand. “Don’t need details.” He shuddered at the thought. “Just… make sure you can control them.”

“Trust me, Soren. It’ll be easy. Father says they were made by the Kalfs and the Kalfs are experts at this kind of thing, so it’s not like they’re going to break on us. We have nothing to worry about.”

He wasn’t so sure but nudged his horse ahead anyway. Their father’s request had not gone over well with Claudia and he doubted she had fully rectified the situation in her head. But Claudia was good at hiding her feelings from most people.

He was not most people.

“You alright?”

She scoffed. “Of course I am. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Clauds…” They exchanged glances. Her face fell.

“I know we have to do this. It just feels wrong.” She held his gaze. “Doesn’t it? They’re our friends. We’ve known Callum and Ezran most of our lives. How are we just supposed to end theirs? I… I just don’t know what Dad’s thinking.”

Soren didn’t really have an answer for her. “I don’t know… I don’t want to do it either, but… dad has to have a good reason, right? He always has a reason for everything. If we do this, it’ll all work out. This is for Dad.”

Claudia looked back at the path ahead of them. “Right… for Dad… this is for Dad.”

-:-:-:-

Rayla tried to act like she hadn’t been through these halls before. Eveline was eerily silent, only making small talk sparingly along the way. 

They walked deeper through the west wing and the halls became more and more unfamiliar. Eventually, they reached a decorated door situated in a particular manner that made Rayla think perhaps this could be one of the main bedrooms of the palace. Inside, the room was cozy. The carpet was a plush rosy color with bed covers to match. There was a vanity featured against the wall with a closet beside it and a wardrobe set away from the rest of the furniture.

“I have so many dresses from all over the human kingdoms.” Rayla rolled her eyes as Eveline disappeared into the walk-in closet. Surely, it was massive. “This is one of the rooms I keep my clothes. Please, feel free to sit. I’ll be right out.”

Rayla was hesitant but did so anyway. Blend in, blend in. 

She just needed to blend in for a few hours. Maybe whatever new dress Eveline insisted on would be easier to move in. 

On the dresser, there were three dolls. One of a boy, one of a young woman who resembled Eveline, and another that resembled Gallias. Upon closer inspection, Rayla realized they were actual replicas of the family. She couldn’t keep a slight grimace from her face. That was… odd. Odd at best, really. It was outright creepy. Then again, perhaps it was a gift from a husband to a wife. After all, Lord Gallias taught Alexander puppetry, didn’t he?

There was a knock on the door. 

Rayla looked at the closet. Perhaps she hadn’t heard?

Another knock. “Madam?”

Still, no sign that Eveline had heard the knock. Rayla got up slowly, looking back at the closet as she walked to the door. It opened to one of the servants. He was as polite as they all were, a smile kindly plastered on his features. “Forgive me for bothering you, my lady. Lord Gallias sent me to check on how you both were doing.”

Rayla almost frowned. They’d been in here for not even five minutes.

“We’re fine, thank you,” she said politely. “We’ll be right out.”

“Of course.” The servant turned to leave. Rayla made to close the door. “And my lady?”

“Yes?”

A more sincere smile this time. “Please pass my condolences to Prince Callum. King Harrow will be deeply missed.”

Rayla stopped breathing. 

Even as the servant bowed.

Even as he made his way down the hall. 

Rayla stopped. She listened. 

She looked over her shoulder at that strangely silent closet from where nobody had emerged. 

Silently, she closed the door. The room mobbed all emotions, all of Rayla’s suspicions at once. Her heart beat faster than it had thirty seconds ago and every little rustle or perceived noise made her jump. 

There was a knife strapped to her leg, she remembered, she went for it before her eyes fell to the dolls on the vanity. They dragged to the wardrobe in the mirror. In her reflection, Rayla watched herself stand up. 

She turned, the wardrobe called to her.

Open me.

If it could speak that’s what it would say to her.

If it could speak its voice would be but a sinister whisper.

Rayla’s hand gripped the cold knob and yanked it open.

A black eyed doll stared down at her.

The life size doll was hoisted up in the wardrobe, porcelain skin and shiny black eyes staring down at her with a lifeless, posed smile. It smelled odd. Too clean. Too… too something. The shape of it was too natural and when Rayla reached out, possessed by some force or other inside her, the skin was soft.

The texture was unnervingly velvety in a way that wanted to make her leave her own body. It was hard beneath the surface, but didn’t quite feel like bone. 

But the most alarming thing about it was the tattoos on its face. The white hair. The elongated elven ears.

The Moonshadow elf woman could have been someone she knew. She looked like a hundred women Rayla could have seen in Xadia. 

She looked at the doll’s wrists and noticed what looked like a birthmark.

Rayla took a step back, then another. Her chest rose and fell with every breath she loosed and grasped back into her lungs.

“What is this…” She breathed, her voice shaking, her arms shaking. Everything was shaking. Even the bones in her chest, shuddered. 

“A Kalf handcraft you weren’t supposed to see, yet, dear. She had to be a part of my collection. Despite her kind, even I could admit she was just too beautiful to let go. Just like you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, you _should_ be scared.
> 
> As always, you guys know I love hearing those reviews! They really keep me motivated and writing! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	17. Xadian Beauty

Rayla’s first instinct was to reach for the knife under her dress, but she resisted. 

Assess. She needed to assess the situation before she broke her cover. 

“I don’t understand what you mean,” She said, doing her best to keep the trembling from her voice. “What is this?” 

Eveline didn’t move from the closet door. “You really are beautiful, aren’t you? A perfect Xadian beauty. Even with that amulet on I can tell.” 

Assessment over. Rayla reached under her gown, brandishing a knife and facing Eveline. “Alright then, if that’s how you want it. What is this?” she gestured to the wardrobe. “That _thing_ in there? And what are you doing in there?” 

“You’re not in a position to be asking questions.” 

“Oh, you think so?” Rayla flipped the knife in her palm. “I think my position is perfect. Now, spill it.” 

From behind the door, Eveline pulled out a shield. Then, a sword. Rayla tightened her grip on the knife. 

“I think I’m in the perfect position.” 

Eveline leapt. Faster than Rayla expected, she repelled Eveline with a swipe of her knife and a bash with her shoulder. Still, Rayla separated and maneuvered away from her. But Eveline was instantly on her, swiping down and cutting into the floor. 

Rayla went on the offensive, meeting her halfway as Eveline gave chase. She met her blow for blow. Barely. Eveline stepped on her dress, cutting her spin short and headbutting her hard enough to make her fall back. 

New tactic. Flip back and-- 

Wait. No, bad idea, bad idea, bad idea. 

There was no way she could flip at the speed she wanted to in this dress. 

Their eyes met. Eveline realized it, too. Small quarters? Gown to slow her down? 

This wasn’t her first time in battle and those paintings of her with her sword and shield weren’t just for decoration either. The exit was across from her now. 

She leapt forward -- Eveline surged to meet her -- and right past her opponent. 

Right toward the exit. 

Rayla ran. She picked up her skirts and ran the way she came. 

She couldn’t believe she was thinking it, but she had to get in front of some people. Eveline and even Gallias knew she was an elf, but the rest of the humans didn’t. She said a prayer for Runaan and the others. For-- 

Her mind narrowed in on Callum 

_Callum_ . 

Gallias took him down the other wing and she’d just let them take him, she couldn’t _believe_ \-- 

The ballroom came back into view and Rayla slowed, hiding the knife in her skirts as she dropped them. She tried to even out her breath as she slipped back among the crowd and beelined for the other side of the ballroom. 

The whole room felt like enemy territory. More than before. All these people… any of them could know what was going on. All of them could. At least some of them knew that Callum’s stepdad was dead. 

Her head was spinning as she discreetly looked around, hoping no one would notice that something was off. Just because things were going terribly wrong didn’t mean it was time to raise suspicions. She still had to be the Lady Rayla or whatever these people thought she was. 

At the other end of the room, the doors opened as if the guards were waiting for her to come. She watched it open. 

Rayla sighed through her nose and walked through. 

-:-:-:- 

Skor frowned. 

Her movements were too frantic. Just a tick. She was looking around too much and where was she going now? 

He turned as Ram readied to head back to report. 

“Tell them to hurry,” he watched as Rayla bobbed and weaved through the crowd. “Something’s wrong.” 

-:-:-:- 

The west wing of the palace practically mirrored the east wing. This was the first thing that bothered Rayla. The second was just how desperately empty it was. 

The further down she went, the colder it felt. The more she somehow just… _knew_ she was getting closer to her target. 

Callum, she thought of him. She prayed that they hadn’t hurt him. 

If they had, she would hurt _them_ and that was the end of that. 

Deserted as the corridor was, she knew people had been through here. Just some time ago, she’d seen people, select now when she thought about it, slip in and out of this wing. Gallias came and went this way when they separated her from Callum. 

More paintings of Eveline were also down this hall. Somehow, the woman’s vanity seemed off, even if it did fit her at face value. It was as if these paintings were not a shrine to her, but a reminder of the days before. There was one painting that struck her in particular and Rayla didn’t know why. 

It was a painting of their family: Gallias, Eveline and Alexander in a family portrait, the parents adoring of their son. If she had gone off this painting alone, the lord and lady were just two loving parents. 

She eventually hit a dead end and here was where it felt the coldest. It was hard to pinpoint why, but she followed that feeling to the last door and tried to open it. Locked. 

Pulling out the knife again, she started to pick the lock. It clicked open in a matter of minutes. 

A dark, dim tunnel opened to her. 

“If this isn’t the way they took him, then I’m actually a human,” she murmured. 

The tunnel was dry. Comfortable, even, as far as tunnels to some terrible place or other went. They kept it maintained. 

The doll in the wardrobe came to mind. 

They used this often. 

She hurried her steps but kept them quiet. Minutes passed; eternity could have passed as the tunnel continued to dim. If not for the torch far ahead of her she wouldn’t see much. Now, she was sure they’d taken Callum this way. 

At the end of the hall, the door was wood and metal and stone. Reinforced. There was enough light for her to pick it, but whoever was on the other side of that door might hear it. 

They could put an arrow in her before she had the chance to respond. 

She put a hand on the door. If she went back… got Runaan and the others they could stand a chance. 

And Callum could be dead. 

Or worse. 

That doll flashed in her mind again. That terrible, miserable doll strung up like she had never been alive. 

Rayla shook her head. 

She started picking the lock. 

The job took longer than it should have, her eagle like focus made picking the lock harder and her admitted nerves made her mess up once or twice. Still, when it finally unlocked, she pushed it open slowly. Ever so slowly. Knife at the ready, prepared to roll or dodge in any direction she needed to not get shot in the heart. Or at all, really. 

Nobody. 

The door opened to a stone room well-lit by torch, hearth and moonlight. There was a flight of stairs leading to the next floor. Rayla followed its curve and looked up. A tower. A _tall_ tower. 

She would have found some alternate way of climbing if this dress wasn’t in the way, so when she came upon the stairs, she listened first. 

No footsteps. No voices. 

She carefully climbed the steps that curved up to the second floor. This room was a bit more elaborate, with some kind of mage’s desk and a few books. But nothing. She went up to the next floor. Then, the next and the next and the next, each room more elaborate than the last. Each a bit more disturbing than the last. The higher the floor, the more open it was, too. It made her wonder about the design and why a tower would have walls open to the air like that. 

The fourth floor had a table with shackles and a workstation with tools she didn’t bother inspecting. 

The fifth floor had even more in the way of odd and disturbing things. 

There were prisoner shackles on the walls, on the tables. Some kind of strange glass bubble of what could only be described as some mage invented prison. Tables and… a full working space for some demented purpose. 

And there was Callum, unconscious, shackled to the wall. 

Rayla ran up to him, looking up at him and shaking his leg. She hissed, “Callum. Callum!” 

He blinked into consciousness, muttering her name. “Where am I?” 

“Are you okay?” she asked when he came to. 

“I think so… I just remember Lord Gallias acting weirder and weirder. When I wanted to go back, he knocked me out. Then, I woke up here. Are you okay? Did they hurt you?” 

“I’m fine,” she said, looking over his restraints. Maybe she could pick these locks, too. “These people are sick. We need to get out of here. _Now_. Before they do something horrible to both of us.” 

She told him about what happened with Eveline and the macabre doll she found in the wardrobe. He paled. 

“That’s…” 

“Yeah, I know. Trust me. Do you still have your primal stone?” 

He looked down at himself, then around once he realized he didn’t feel it on himself. “On the table. Over there.” 

She glanced at it sitting comfortably on the table next to a mage’s desk that looked like it’d been in use. 

“Good. Now, let’s get you out of here before--” 

“Rayla, watch out!” 

Instead of leaping out of the way and leaving Callum to take the blow meant for her, Rayla turned and met her opponent with the knife. 

Gallias was stronger than his wife and pushing him back took more effort. Based on his stance though he didn’t seem as adept as his wife. Rayla reeled back and head-butted him, he stumbled back a bit and she went to drive the knife through him. He dodged and managed to backhand her. 

She went to twist out of his range, but the dress tangled her legs, and he brought the shield he’d been using down on her head. 

The world doubled, and he shoved her to the ground. She heard Callum saying her name among sinister words from another mouth -- then a hard, heavy weight pinned her chest. Rayla couldn’t move her limbs as she lay on the floor and when her vision went back to normal, Gallias was holding a blank, glowing doll over her. He laid it next to her head, and it was as if someone physically shackled her to the ground. 

“Eveline’s had practice fighting in her gowns. It’s a surprisingly useful skill she has,” Gallias mused. “You should have learned it before coming here.” 

Rayla snarled at him. “Let me go and I’ll show you what else I’ve learned.” 

“I think not,” he said, taking his knee off her chest. “You’re fine where you’re at and it’s easier to work with you when you’re not struggling.” 

“Gallias, darling.” Rayla couldn’t see Eveline, but she could hear her enter the room. “Oh, I see you managed to pin her. Good. Now, we can work.” 

Work. 

The doll came to mind once more. 

“If you touch either of us, I’ll kill you,” she growled. 

“Leave her alone,” Callum demanded. “I’ll go with you. Anything you want. Just _leave her alone_.” 

“I wouldn’t worry about the prince, dear Rayla. Let’s just talk about you right now... see, Gallias? Isn’t she perfect?” Eveline’s smile was nothing less than creepy. Vapid, even. “And she’s young.” 

Gallias nodded. “A young Moonshadow elf… your kind guard and teach their young well. Moonshadow elves your age are incredibly difficult to come by,” Gallias observed her. He reached out to grab her face and turn it. “It’s ironic, really. The poetic magic that can come from you. So young. Full of life. That magic is drenched in the cycle of life and death. It’s a special combination that makes for some interesting spellwork.” 

Rayla froze. 

Magic they could draw from a Moonshadow elf. 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” 

They didn’t answer her. 

Then, she looked at the glass imprisonment and the runes on the base. The mage’s desk. The tools. 

Her heart wanted to stop. It would have been more merciful than whatever they planned for her. The same shivering feeling she had when Viren first caught her was creeping back into her veins. Except, this time, it seemed… more real. Not _just_ a nightmare. She’d seen the results. 

“First things first though.” Eveline said. “Her eyes are beautiful. Truly. But I’d like to try her face with different ones. Take them out.” 

“ _No!”_ Callum struggled against his restraints. Rayla tried to move, tried to fight. She heard the clacking of the tool Gallias had gotten up to grab. She struggled harder. He came back and pinned his knee to her chest again. 

She turned her head and squeezed her eyes shut, refusing to face him. Eveline’s hands came around her and forced them forward. Her fingers pried Rayla’s eyes open. 

She wouldn’t beg. She wouldn’t give them the satisfaction, but she did struggle, and she felt her eyes water. 

“I’ll do anything. I’ll give you anything, just _please_.” Callum pleaded. “Lord Gallias, I’m begging you, don’t _hurt her_.” 

“Hurry, Darling. This one is very willful.” 

The pliers slowly came down for Rayla, aiming for precision. Rayla did her best to turn her head, but Eveline held. 

A whimper and a scream almost escaped her throat. 

She would _not_ beg. She would _not_ scream or cry. 

No matter how badly she wanted to right about now. 

She saw the gleam in their eyes as the pliers came for her left eye. 

“Mother…? Father…?” 

Gallias pulled the pliers away, turning toward the soft voice. Eveline let go of Rayla’s head and stood up so fast she accidentally kicked the glowing blank doll across the room. Rayla didn’t move right away. “Alex!” 

Alexander stood at the door, a pupper of exquisite quality in his hand. He took the scene in before him, wide-eyed and at a loss. “What… what are you doing?” 

Eveline strode over to him, placing motherly hands on his shoulders and smoothing down his hair. “It’s nothing, Alex. It’s nothing, love. We were just--” 

“Just what?” Alexander demanded, clearly frightened. “What is this place? I followed Rayla down here and… Mother, what’s going on? I don’t like this. What--” 

Gallias rose, reciting sinister words in a hurried tone. 

Alex went limp. He shut down. Rayla couldn’t see him from behind his mother, but Eveline turned on Gallias. “Gallias, why would you do that to him?” 

“We can erase his memory later, Dear. He doesn’t need to be here for this,” he said, almost softly. 

Eveline moved around her son, fidgeting with something behind his back. It was then Rayla noticed his blank eyes and passive expression. As if-- 

Eveline opened his back. 

Rayla and Callum’s mouths fell open. Alexander’s back split open, the doors wide enough for his mother to see whatever unnatural phenomenon was going on, keeping him alive. If they could even call it that. 

It was Callum that said it. “He’s… he’s not real.” 

“He _is_ real!” Eveline snapped. “He’s _my_ son. Of course he’s real!” 

“He’s not alive,” he argued. “What did you _do_ to him?” 

“How dare you? You honestly believe I would subject my only son to anything but a full life? It was _you that did this to him!_ ” Rage contorted Eveline’s face, her finger pointing directly at Rayla. 

“Me?” Rayla shook her head. “I didn’t do _anything_ to him, and I certainly didn’t do _that_. That was all you.” 

“We saved our son,” Gallias replied. “But it was your kind that did this to him. You elves. Particularly, Moonshadow elves. You are a disease on this land. A disease I only realized after it was too late for my son.” 

“Wait…” Callum intervened. “I don’t understand. What _happened_ to him?” 

Eveline snapped at him before Gallias could. “We tried to protect him but, _you_ took him away from us.” 

“My family and I were coming home late one night. We were in a carriage and without warning one of her kind, a Moonshadow elf, descended upon us. She ripped open the door closest to Alex and dragged him out and she…” 

“She _killed_ him,” Eveline snarled. “Tell them what _happened_ , Gallias. _That Moonshadow elf put a knife in him and took his life._ For no other reason than because she could.” 

“I’m sorry,” Rayla said. “I am. If I knew who did that to him, I would bring you justice.” 

“There’s no need. We’ve already hired a hunter. And...” Eveline put her hands on the doll she called her son. “We’ve already done it. What you will do for us is going to help our cause well enough.” 

Gallias said, “Moonshadow elven magic is connected to illusions and the cycle of life and death. A young Moonshadow elf is most valuable in that prospect.” 

“Yes… you and the magic we will draw from your arcanum will serve Alexander well and help pay for what you’ve done. You will help keep Alex alive and he will live a full, happy life.” 

“But Rayla didn’t _do_ this. Please, listen to me. I’m sorry for what happened to Alexander. I _am_ so, _so_ sorry. But you can’t punish all elves for what one elf did and you certainly can’t do it like this. This… this is cruel. It’s not humane.” 

“They’re not human,” Eveline snapped. 

“He’s not alive!” 

Eveline growled at him, hugging her son. “Lies! What do you know? You’re just a child. You’ve never had to lose someone like this. Someone that was your own. No… no, I refuse to give up on Alex. He’s my son and I will sacrifice anything or anyone so he has his chance at life. His soul can stay here, in this body that we made just for him. Anyone against us is the enemy.” 

Callum swallowed. Rayla knew what he was about to say. “I do understand. More than you know, but I would never do this to him. Don’t you think Alex deserves to move on, too?” 

Gallias stepped forward. “It doesn’t matter. With the energy I draw from your elf, Alex will be one step closer to being back to the way he was. I imagine that we can even get there tonight. Soon this will all be behind us.” 

“This will never be behind you,” Callum said. “I’m _sorry_. You can’t fight this. You have to let him go and move on. And you can’t keep _doing this_ to living, breathing people. You can’t keep doing this to Alexander.” 

“We’ve only tried a few people. None of them ever worked out the way Moonshadow elves did,” Eveline said quickly. 

“You’ve done this to humans, too,” Rayla said from the ground. “You’ve made them all your little puppets because you were too selfish to think about whether or not your son would even want to come back. Your son is your puppet, too. Callum is right. This is cruel.” 

“That’s enough out of you,” Eveline strode forward, snatching a knife from the table. “It’s time to end your life so Alex’s time can start again.” 

“Not on your life.” Rayla moved and swept Eveline under. She jumped to her feet and snatched the knife away from Eveline. 

Gallias lurched forward and tried wrestling Rayla for the knife. She met him, holding his weight just long enough to kick him under the knee and headbutt him. He went down and Rayla grabbed the keys off him, hurrying to unlock Callum’s restraints as quickly as possible. 

“Okay, we need to go _right now_.” Rayla would have grabbed his wrist, but he went for the primal stone. “Do you know any other way out of this place?” 

Callum shook his head. “Only the stairs.” 

“Then stairs it is.” Eveline was picking herself up onto her hands and knees just as Gallias was coming to, but Callum still stood there staring at them. “Callum, _come on_. We can’t wait for them to chase us to get out of here.” 

“Wait,” he said, pursing his lips. 

“ _Wait? Wait for what?_ Have you lost your mind? We don’t have time to _wait_.” She pulled on his arm. “Let’s _go_.” 

But he pulled away, and she looked at him like he grew a second head. A little bit of fear trickled down into her chest cavity. She wouldn’t leave him here to die. No, never. 

She would never do that. Couldn’t. 

But then he gave her a look. She wasn’t sure if it was fear or regret. 

He pulled his primal stone out. 

Then, he drew a rune in the air. It crackled. Rayla’s eyes widened. He wasn’t… 

Would he? 

She saw Eveline get the same look, blanching as Callum’s hands crackled with blinding white lightning. 

Rayla reached out for him. “ _Callum--_ ” 

He couldn’t do this. This wasn’t something he’d do. She’d never taken Callum as the kind to kill someone so easily, even two people like Eveline and Gallias-- 

He pointed it at Alex. 

At Alexander’s broken, empty, pitiful Kalf vessel. 

Rayla let him go and, for a moment, lightning was the only sound between the four of them. It seemed like an eternity. She saw Eveline’s face, torn between horror and fury. Her body scrambled off the floor, toward the doll she called her son, but wasn’t fast enough as Callum turned his head and closed his eyes. 

“ _Fulminis.”_

Lightning burst from his hand. Alexander’s body blasted apart, plastic, velvety pieces with runes carved on the inside spilling and ricocheting all over the place. He laid in pieces. 

Eveline screamed. “ _No!_ ” 

She crawled on the ground, scrambling for the pieces of her son. The pieces that were too small slipped through her hands. On the ground, Gallias picked up one piece and just stared at it as if Callum broken a part of him too. 

A warmth enveloped in front of them. They could feel it. They could _see_ it. 

Alexander smiled at them from where he once was trapped-- this was the only way Rayla could describe it -- and nodded. His voice was thin, ethereal. And tranquil. “ _Thank you_.” 

He looked at his parents. At his mother. His eyes were sad, but he waved at them. One last goodbye. Gallias raised a hand to wave back, slowly, automatically. On instinct perhaps. 

But Eveline tried to grab him, tried to keep him there to no avail. Her hands went right through him. “No, Alex… No, darling, please… _come back_.” 

Alexander faded away. 

Gallias stood up, but Eveline still laid on her knees. She eventually dragged herself off the floor. 

And grabbed the sword and shield near her. 

“ _I’m going to kill you.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, man, this chapter took a minute to get out because of school, but also I knew exactly what was going to happen in this chapter. and I hope you all enjoyed it. It was fun to write that little twist. Terrible times for the people involved especially in this period in their world. 
> 
> As always, guys I love it when you leave those comments. They really do keep me motivated and keep me writing! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [How Do You Do?](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18962767) by [Melleniaofwaiting](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Melleniaofwaiting/pseuds/Melleniaofwaiting)




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